HPX3: Harry Potter & The Flames of the Phoenix
by Classic Cowboy
Summary: HPMarvel: Battle lines have been drawn, and the war has finally arrived. Heroes of the Muggle and Magical Worlds have gathered, but when their strength is not enough to face the Dark Lord, a mother's love may be. The last stand has arrived.
1. The Flames of The Phoenix

Disclaimer: The X-Men and all related characters are property of Stan Lee and Marvel Enterprises. Harry Potter and all related characters are property of J.K. Rowling.

Ron Weasley's voice: Heroes. What makes a hero? What makes a teenaged nerd into a web-slinging champion, a crippled young man into a national symbol, or an innocent one-year-old infant into the Boy-Who-Lived? What is their drive? Honor? Justice? Vengeance? Love? Or maybe they're born with this quality that makes them legend.

HPX3

Xavier's School for the Gifted, July 1980

"We can't thank you enough, Professor Xavier," Mrs. Grey said as she, her husband, and the wheelchair bound professor followed beside the stretcher. On the stretcher was a young girl, not much older than sixteen. Red hair spilled over the edges of the gurney and her parents looked into her void, emerald eyes that were staring blankly to the sky.

"Don't thank me yet, Mrs. Grey," Charles Xavier said, looking at the catatonic girl, "I'm unsure if I can even help your daughter."

"You're the only hope we have left, Professor," Mr. Grey said sadly.

"I'll do what I can," Xavier said as they reached Jean Grey's private room. "If I had been there at the time of event, I could have set up psychic blockers to aid and prevent her from falling into this state." He sighed, giving the girl's parents a sad smile.

Jean's best friend had been hit by a drunk driver and died in her arms. The traumatized young girl was unaware she was a telepath, and unknowingly let her mind connect with her friend at the time of her death. As the life slipped away from her lost friend, Jean's mind became trapped and thought that she had died as well.

"I will keep you updated on her condition," Professor Xavier said, "If there's any change, you'll be contacted immediately."

"Thank you, Professor," Jean's parents said before going to the girl's bedside, "Come back to us, Jeanie," her mother whispered, kissing her cold cheek.

"We love you, Jean," her father whispered stroking her long red hair, "Hurry home."

"It's late, but I'll begin trying to reach her immediately," Xavier said, leading the couple from the room.

"Thank you, Professor Xavier," they said again before leaving the estate.

Xavier rolled back to the girl, "Ok, Jean," He said, concentrating his psychic powers on her mind, "It is time to come back …"

---

Days turned to weeks which turned to months and just as rapidly those months stretched into a year. There was no change in the young girl's condition, much to the regret of her latest visitor.

"It's so sad," Scott 'Slim' Summers said, as he sat by the still catatonic Jean Grey's bedside. "Bet you have a great personality," he said, his eyes taking in her soft features behind his ruby sunglasses.

"Hey, Slim!" Hank McCoy and Warren Worthington III said in unison, popping into the room, "You coming with us?"

"Huh? Where are you guys going?" Scott asked, blinking in confusion.

"It's Halloween, stupid," Warren smirked, his wings flapping slightly showing his excitement.

"The one night a year we can go outside without hiding anything!" Hank cheered, not bothering to hide his blue fur.

"Sure, I'm in, let's roll!" Scott said standing up. He gave a last glance back at the girl, "See you soon, Jean."

"What do you say, Prince Charming?" Hank sniggered, "Why not try the proverbial kiss to awaken Sleeping Beauty?"

The ruby quartz in his glasses paled in comparison to the crimson sheen that overtook Scott's handsome features.

"We're just having some fun, Slim. Let's hurry while there's still candy left to give out!" Hank said and the three young men ran out.

As soon as the door closed, a bright flame shot toward the window, completely undetected by Xavier's advanced defenses. It passed through the window as if it wasn't there and began to slowly circle Jean's prone body.

The flame finally settled and took the form of a young woman. "You poor dear, you've been through so much," She spoke softly, her own green eyes looking down into the similar yet void eyes of the girl. "I'll help you in exchange for you helping me in the near future. A lot is riding on us, Jean, will you help me?" The woman smiled, "Brilliant, now it's time to wake up, my dear."

Without further word or movement, the mysterious woman returned to her previous form and engulfed Jean in a pyre of flame that miraculously left the young girl and the bed untouched. The color returned to her delicate features and without warning, Jean sat up and released a primal scream from somewhere deep in her abdomen.

A moment later, Xavier and his three students bolted into the room, "Jean, you're awake!" Xavier exclaimed with relief and happiness.

"What's going on! Where am I!" Jean asked in a panicked voice, her eyes darting around the unfamiliar room like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Her gaze froze on the furry form of Hank McCoy and she shrank back against the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees like a frightened child.

"Your parents brought you here a year ago after you slipped into a catatonic coma, I'm Professor Charles Xavier, and this is my School for the Gifted."

---

One year ago

"Harry!" Hermione cried, jumping into his arms, "I was so worried!" She whimpered, trying to keep herself from crying.

"I'm alright, Mione," Harry reassured her with a tight squeeze. "But we need to get out," he said as the floor lurched and the walls shuddered violently around them.

The small band of heroes and mages made it to their seats and began to strap themselves in for what would undoubtedly be a rough escape. Hermione desperately sought Harry's hand for reassurance.

"Ok, let's get this bird in the air," Cyclops said as he pressed a few switches, bringing the engines to life. They died as soon as they turned over and he looked over his shoulder to the flight engineer's seat. "Or not … Beast?"

"It's not my fault!" Beast cried, beating on his control panel. "The power converter is shot," Beast growled, "We need an outside power source and it's going to have to be big to get us out of here! Otherwise, we go down the hard way."

Hermione looked at Harry, terror evident in her eyes. He wordlessly wrapped her in his arms and held her tight, "We'll get out of this, Hermione, just hang on …"

"Outside power source …" Jean whispered then looked up when all went quiet. "What?"

"Remember what I told you, Jean?" A young woman that seemed to be about Hermione's age stood between her and the frozen X-Men. Her long, red hair cascaded over her shoulders and her piercing emerald green eyes were locked on Jean's. She could have sworn that she was looking at a younger version of herself, but the accent and the Gryffindor robes belied that theory.

"What?" Jean asked, her mouth growing dry.

"You can save them," The girl said, walking over to Harry, who was holding Hermione tightly, "But it will cost you a great deal. Are you willing to die for them, for your family?"

"I …" Jean started nervously.

"If you are willing to die for him and those you love," the girl said, stroking Harry's frozen cheek, "I will help you save them; do you love them enough to give your life for them?"

"Yes," Jean said without hesitation or remorse. "Yes, I do,"

"You are a brave person, Jean," She smiled. Before Jean's eyes, the young woman exploded into flames. A familiar feeling washed over her as the flaming form of a phoenix spread its wings and dove into her chest with a haunting birdsong. The force caused her to arch her back and close her eyes. To her astonishment, she didn't feel any pain, but rather a sense of overwhelming encouragement and strength. She opened her flaming, red eyes hesitantly to find the world was back in motion, and with a sense of desperation, she knew what had to be done.

---

"I'm sorry, Scott," Beast sighed then jumped into a flurry of motion. "What the … we've got power!"

"What? We're taking off!" Cyclops gasped as the jet began to rise into the air. "WHAT? JEAN'S OUTSIDE!" He panicked as he tried to move the control stick, but found it under another's power.

"I know what I'm doing, Scott," Jean's voice echoed in their minds, "This is my choice, all of you over me."

"Jean, no …" Cyclops gulped, beginning to tremble.

"Hermione," Jean's voice said, "It's up to you to watch over our boys, take good care of them for me."

"Jean …" Hermione whimpered as her tears fell unabashedly from her eyes.

"All of you watch over each other," she said, "and I'll be watching you too. I love you all." The voice was quiet for a moment, "And Harry, I'll give your mother your love," she said as the jet sped out of the chamber. "MUM!" Harry cried, diving toward the side window, "No, not again! Please not again!" He cried, not even noticing that Hermione had pulled him to her.

"JEAN!" Scott cried as the temple crumbled and dropped to the ground in an explosive crash. "No …" he cried before he realized he was being pulled into a seat.

Storm wiped her eyes and took control of the Jet. She brought it down to where the students and Professors had gathered. The battle had been won, but at a tragic price, one that none of them would soon forget.

---

Two weeks ago …

The rubble that was once the Chamber of Secrets had remained untouched for nearly a year. Those who would view it fear the evil that had created it. Those who were there when it was destroyed would look upon it sadly as a monument to the woman who sacrificed her life to bring it and it's master to their doom. On this particularly windy day, one might expect the errant leaf or sheaf of paper to move through the air as if had a life of its own; however, nobody would expect the rubble of this cursed and sacred landmark to act in the same way. As one particularly large boulder shifted and toppled to the side, a small flame sprouted from the new opening and a few sparks leapt from somewhere in the darkness below. Without warning, that small flame burst into a raging inferno and the top of the makeshift tomb exploded like a volcano. The flames coalesced into the unmistakable form of a gigantic flaming bird that cried out with a pent up rage and power that was the unmistakable song of the phoenix.

After the cries of anger and loss died away, the flaming vision receded and revealed the form of a beautiful woman, her flaming red hair tossed around by the chill breeze along with the yellow sash tied around her shapely waist. The sun struck the red and gold body suit and there was a magnificent flash of light as the sun was reflected off the heaving phoenix-shaped symbol emblazoned upon her bosom. Slowly, she opened her eyes to reveal the emerald-green orbs that spoke in volumes of her anger and worry...

"Harry …" she whispered before she spread her arms and was once again encased in the living fire that she now embodied. With a cry of urgency, she took to the air with a speed borne of desperation.

---

"Oh, quit complaining," Wormtail said as he walked out of the factory with Pyro and Toad.

"Maybe I don't bloody like burning up dead bodies!" Pyro complained, "They're far more fun when they can dance around and scream."

"Yeah, well alive or dead, I'm actually happy to see Potter out of the way once and for all; you haven't had to deal with the brat and his friends for years," Wormtail spat, "I wish that my Lord would have gotten rid of his friend Weasley too. I'd especially like to see him suffer."

The three finally arrived at the lifeless body of the Boy-Who-Lived. His X-Men uniform was covered in mud and Voldemort hadn't the decency to close the boy's mouth or eyes. He had left him exactly as he fell. "I wish I had a camera. My Lord would want to cherish this scene forever."

"He really hates this kid, huh?" Toad asked, blinking at the body.

"You don't know the half of it, my friend." Wormtail smiled, "Pyro would you like to do the honors?"

"Sure …" He said as a massive fire-bird swooped down and engulfed the area in flames. It let out a mournful cry that shook the three men to their cores then took to the air, leaving no trace of the wizarding world's last hope.

"You're such a show off, Pyro …" Toad shook his head at his friend and fellow Brotherhood member after he had regained his composure.

"Don't look at me, Mate," Pyro gulped, "That wasn't me."

"If it wasn't you … Wormtail?" Toad asked, glancing at the Death Eater.

"The body's gone; it's disposed of," Wormtail shrugged, "He's dead, that's all that matters."

The two Mutants nodded and the three returned to the others, silently agreeing to never speak on what just happened again.

Meanwhile, the northern sea was painted red as a colossal, flaming bird soared over the choppy waters that were relentlessly beating the rocky shores below. Intermingled with the anguished cry of the mythical bird were two distinct voices, one American and the other British. With an uncanny timing that were reminiscent of identical twins, the two spoke as one...

"It will be ok, Son; we'll save you."

Harry Potter and the Flames of the Phoenix


	2. A Message to Tom Riddle

Chapter 1: A Message to Tom Riddle

_To see you when I wake up_

_Is a gift I didn't think could be real_

_To know that you feel the same as I do_

_Is a three-fold, utopian dream_

_You do something to me that I can't explain_

_So would I be out of line if I said_

_I miss you_

_I see your picture_

_I smell your skin on the empty pillow next to mine_

_You have only been gone ten days, but already I'm wasting away_

_I know I'll see you again_

_Whether far or soon_

_But I need you to know that I care_

_And I miss you_

-Incubus _'I Miss You'_

"Platform 9 ¾?" Mary Jane Watson asked as she, her boyfriend Peter Parker, and another man in dark sunglasses holding a blind man's cane walked down the platforms at the London train station.

"Brits are weird," Peter stated, looking over his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Would you hush?" Mary Jane scolded, earning a chuckle from their companion.

"It wouldn't be wise to insult a nationality in their home country, Mr. Parker," Matt Murdock tried to sound serious.

They finally approached the wall separating Platforms 9 and 10, and an older woman in a dress that put Peter in mind of one of the teachers from the TV show 'Little House On The Prairie'.

"Mr. Parker, Mr. Murdock, Ms. Watson? I've been expecting you," the woman smiled with a hint of sadness in her eyes, "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, I … was one of Harry's teachers."

Peter's features made a noticeable change at the mention of Harry's name. "Not everything's your fault, Peter," Mary Jane whispered, grabbing the teen's hand.

"Professor Dumbledore wished to meet you here, but the meeting with Col. Fury in the States is taking longer than expected," Professor McGonagall explained.

"So, where do we go?" Matt asked, stepping toward McGonagall.

"Take my hand and I'll lead the way," McGonagall said, grabbing Matt and Peter's hands, pulling them along with Mary Jane through the wall.

"Sweet, 9 and ¾ means it's between ten and nine, I get it now!" Peter chimed, making Mary Jane slap her forehead after they came through the barrier onto the platform where the Hogwarts Express stood smoking.

"Way to go, Tiger, my boyfriend the genius," Mary Jane sighed as McGonagall led them to the entrance for the scarlet-colored older model train.

"I am, let's see you come up with a formula for an exact copy of a spider's organic webbing, Ms. Watson," Peter grinned.

"Just get on the damn train, Parker," She snapped, pointing to the train car.

"That time of month?" Matt whispered to the teenaged boy.

"If we can make it one more day, we'll be home free." Peter grinned, "I can't wait; my spider-sense has been going wild every time she looked at me for the last three days."

McGonagall led them to a small cabin toward the front of the train, "This is usually reserved for the Head Boy and Girl, but I doubt Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom would mind you using it."

The three nodded and waited as McGonagall led Mary Jane to the Head Girl's compartment. "Well, Peter, time to suit up," Matt said pulling off his sunglasses and turning a knob on his cane, shortening it into a billy club.

"Right," Peter said, pulling off his backpack and jerking out a pair of red and blue tights.

A few moments later, Peter's spider-sense went off and he had just enough time to glance up when the door slid open and Mary Jane peeked in, "Peter have you seen my … EEP!"

"MARY JANE!"

---

"Ron, why do we have to do this?" Neville Longbottom, the Head Boy of New Hogwarts Academy asked, walking along side Ron Weasley and his girlfriend Jubilee through the streets of New Hogsmeade, the village inside the walls of the massive New Hogwarts Castle. It had become routine for them to go about the streets and shops looking for someone.

"You're the Head Boy, and I'm her best friend, that's why," Ron answered, rubbing his temples as he beat the familiar path down the high street to a certainbar,"And if word got out about her … after-school activities, she'd lose her position as Head Girl. She's worked too hard for that to just throw it away. Besides, Harry wouldn't want her to do what she's doing."

"Maybe she's not here this time … maybe we just missed her when we looked in the library …" Jubilee said timidly as they stood before Three-Eyed Jack's Tavern.

"Jubes, she's not been to the library in two weeks," Ron responded, shaking his head, "It's like … it's not Hermione anymore." Indeed, ever since getting the news of his death, the Head Girl had been going back and forth between states of extreme agitation, in which she would rip into anyone who bothered her studies, and states of extreme apathy and lethargy, where she would not leave her dormitory for days at a time except to go the bathroom. Any attempts by Ron or Neville or anyone else, even Professor Dumbledore, to bring herbackto civilization would result in a withering glare and on more than one occasion a punch to the face.

They slowly walked in, "Yup, there she is … here we go again …" Neville groaned.

It had been in one of her apathetic phases that Hermione had obviously decided not to go to class today, but rather do Merlin knows what, and now, here stood Ron, Neville, and company to try once again to bring her back from the brink of depression.

Ron and Jubilee glanced to the corner of the bar and saw a girl with unkempt, bushy, brown hair sitting on a stool, leaning over the bar withtwo empty bottles of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey sitting beside her and a third in her trembling hand.

The three slowly approached the bar, "Hermione, you ok?" Ron asked gently.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder at them, and the look made Ron involuntarily shudder.

Her mouth was slightly ajar and her eyes had dark circles beneath them. "Wash yous doin?" she slurred, taking a swig of her third almost empty bottle of Firewhiskey.

"Hermie, I think you've had enough …" Jubilee said, carefully reaching for the bottle, but the young witch jerked it away.

"I's had enough when I's says I's had enough!" Hermione replied angrily, almost falling off her stool.

Ron went to catch her and helped her back to her stool. "Hermione, you can't keep doing this; what would Harry say if he saw you like this?"He pleaded.

"Ya, shash right!" Hermione said loudly, spinning around and slinging some Firewhiskey from her bottle, the majority catching on Ron's cloak. "Yous… yous all keep tryin' ta make me …'hic' make me think Hawwy ain't comin' back, but I's know he is gonna come back, probably tonight, so there, R- … R- …" She bobbed her bottle toward Ron with a concentrated look on her face, "Red-headed guy!"

"Come on, Hermione, let's get you back to the tower and into bed," Ron said, trying to pry the bottle from her hand.

"Dat's what I THOUGHT!" Hermione almost shouted, pokingthe bottle into his chest,"You're shill tryin' ta gesh me … 'hic' in bed! Wasn't dat bad smurf girl who look like me enuff for ya, Red-head guy?"

Ron looked hurt, but mostly sickened at the memory of sleeping with Mystique, "Hermione …"

"I gotsh a clone too, ya know … I think … she … 'hic' might shill be alive … prob- prob- maybe wansh us both, do ya?" Hermione grinned drunkenly.

"I'm going to kill her …" Jubilee growled, but was held back by Neville.

"She's out of her head pissed, cut her some slack!"

"Why ain't Hawwy come back yet?" Hermione asked, her moodshifting like a pendulum, "Did I do shumpting wrong? Do you think he don't love me no more? Maybe he don't want to be with a Mudblood after all …" she choked down a sob.

"Come here," Ron said, not giving her time to react before pulling her into a big hug, "Harry loved you more than life itself, Hermione, and if anyone tries to say different, they're nothing but a stupid git. Ok?"

"Ok …" Hermione yawned, "I go night-night now, goodnight Hawwy …" she said as her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.

"Poor thing …" Jubilee said softly as Ron struggled to keep upright.

"Yeah, thanks, now will someone get her legs so we can get out of here?" Ron said, glaring at his girlfriend and Neville.

---

"Thank you for having us, Colonel," Professor Albus Dumbledore said from the office on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. He was seated beside Scott Summers, better known as the X-Man Cyclops, and Professor Charles Xavier.

Colonel Nick Fury was a man in his late forties with brown, graying hair, an eye patch over his right eye, and a rough, barely shaven face. His face was especially out of place with his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. "First off you don't have to explain anything about Wizards, Witches, or the Ministry of Magic. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been keeping tabs on your operations since this Voldemort's last little road trip around seventeen years ago." Col. Fury said, puffing on his cigar, "What I want to know is what we're exactly up against here?"

"Voldemort has joined forces with Eric Lehnsherr for one," Xavier stated.

"Magneto?" Fury whistled, "Probably got the Brotherhood with him too, huh?"

"I'm afraid so," Xavier nodded.

"Also has a small army of Sentinels, building sized weapons of a combination of Magic and Muggle technology. They were designed to hunt mutants and Dark Wizards alike," Dumbledore continued, "Also Lord Voldemort has a large following of Death Eaters, Dark Wizards, and several other Dark creatures."

"Several other Dark creatures?" Fury shook his head, "Like Hitler's little Dark Arts experiments all over again. I know Cap won't like this …" He glanced up at the three men, "Who do we have on our side?"

"The X-Men and The Order of the Phoenix," Xavier spoke softly, "The Ministry is still in disarray since the disappearance of Minister Umbridge, so we can't count on them, but they could be a factor. So that leaves S.H.I.E.L.D. if you're in, and Spider-Man and Daredevil are en route to New Hogwarts as we speak. The Fantastic Four and the Avengers are setting up a perimeter around England, but have said they will not interfere unless a populated area is threatened. Also we have a few members of the Order searching for Frank Castle."

"The Punisher?" Fury quirked an eyebrow, "You are desperate …"

"One of our own has fallen, Colonel," Dumbledore spoke, a sense of pain in his voice. "He was a mere boy; Voldemort killed him with no sense of mercy. He will not stop until his power is absolute." The aged man said, locking eyes with the Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Voldemort MUST be stopped. No matter the cost."

"I see …" Fury said, his brow furrowing in thought. "This does prove to be a threat, even without this Voldemort, Magneto always seems to be heavy duty when it comes to problems. I'll bring this up with my higher ups and see what I can do to at least supply support to you and your group. I'll also talk to Captain America and Dr. Richards and see if I can't convince them to take a more offensive role in this situation."

"Is that all?" Cyclops growled, standing to his feet.

"That's all I can do, Cyclops," Fury said, glancing at the X-Man.

"The boy who was killed, Fury, that was my adopted son, the one Jean and I adopted together," Cyclops growled, giving dangerous glances at all in the room, "I hope you'll excuse me for finding it disgusting that you all seem to look at him as nothing more than a casualty of war, a pawn in your little chess game."

"Scott, that's not it at all …" Xavier replied carefully.

"Whatever, I'll be in the jet," Cyclops hissed, stomping out of the office and slamming the door on the way out.

"Do forgive him," Dumbledore spoke before Xavier could get the chance, "Harry's death has been hard on all of is."

"I understand," Nick nodded puffing his cigar, "I'll give ya a call when I find something out, and just between you and me, X. Worse Case Scenario, I might have to pull a Logan."

Xavier nodded, a faint smile on his lips, and he and Dumbledore made their way out of the office.

"Pull a Logan?" Dumbledore glanced down at his companion.

"If they give him marching orders to help us, that's great," Xavier stated softly in case of eavesdroppers, "But if they don't give him orders he likes, he lost them in transmission and will help us anyway."

---

Just outside the supposedly abandoned Howlett Estate, Alberta, Canada…

A man slowly walked toward the barely standing mansion and saw the sign hanging on the large gate surrounding the estate.

"The Riddle House? I figured Dog would make this his original hideout, the bastard," the man said as a 'Snikt' sound echoed through the trees and six triangular claws erupted from his knuckles, three on each hand "Time to give the murdering son of a bitch a message."

"You hear something, Crabbe?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked, peeking out the second story window. Most of the Death Eaters had left to join Lord Voldemort in Genosha, but a good number of Death Eaters remained in his oldest hideout in Alberta.

"No, ma'am," The rotund figure of Vincent Crabbe's father said, reclining in an old comfort chair.

A variety of screams downstairs caused both Death Eaters to jump in surprise. "But I heard that, ma'am!"

"Come on, stupid!" Bellatrix growled, unsheathing her wand and dashing toward the stairs. Once she reached the ground floor of the mansion, her eyes widened in surprise, "Potter?" She gasped as she looked into the eyes of the blood covered Wolverine standing in the middle of the living room decorated with blood and Death Eaters' bodies.

Wolverine released a feral growl, clenching his fists which caused his adamantium claws to extend even farther.

Bellatrix backpedaled several paces and looked up the stairs in a state of panic. "Don't just stand there, Crabbe! Get him!"

Crabbe ran, or more accurately, fell down the stairs, and without blinking, ran toward the bestial X-Man. _"AVADA …"_ Crabbe yelled before gasping as Wolverine impaled him with his claws, and then with a primal growl, began slashing and mauling the Death Eater.

Bellatrix watched in horror as the man she thought murdered years ago was standing over her, looking more monstrous than her own master. She raised her wand, but it was suddenly slashed into segments by three adamantium claws.

"Please don't …" She whimpered, backing away while tears began to slide from her widened eyes.

Wolverine cracked his neck and lunged at the petrified woman. Her screams were heard for miles.

---

"I don't understand it either, My Lord," Wormtail said as he and the Dark Lord Voldemort apparated before the Canadian Riddle House. "They were to report in two hours ago, but we've heard nothing from them."

"Let us see what's the matter then," Voldemort said as they made their way to the door. "It's ajar …" he said as Wormtail walked forward to open it and peek in.

"Oh my God!" Wormtail gagged before diving away from the door and going to his hands and knees, throwing up.

Voldemort walked into the main hall and living room of the Riddle House and narrowed his snake-like eyes. The room was a slaughterhouse; some of his finest Death Eaters lay mutilated on the floor, and on the wall was a message written in their blood.

'Dog,

I remember everything. I'm coming for you. Enjoy the last few days of your life.

James Logan Howlett Potter'

To Be Continued …

AN: Just wanted to let you all know, on the last chapter, the woman who visited Jean as the Phoenix was Lily Potter. It was Halloween 1981 when that happened, as it said at the beginning of that scene a year had past since she was brought to Xavier's. just wanted to clear that up expect more soon!


	3. Looking for Punishment

Chapter 2: Looking For Punishment

A large cruise ship prepared to leave the harbor of the small, tourist, harbor town on the edge of Canada. "Alright we're about to pull out," One of the hands said as they prepared to pull anchor. "Next stop, Scotland."

The large ship's horn blew as it slowly pulled away from the harbor and started out of the lagoon-like harbor, passing under a large cliff. "Nice weather," one of the hands said, looking up at the sun before it was blocked by a shadow. "What the?" He cried, jumping back to miss the large stag that leapt down to the deck of the ship and dashed into an open door past several members of the crew.

"There's a beast on board! Watch yourselves!" They cried, running after the stag, almost running down a passenger. Dark hair was hidden under a cowboy hat, sideburns ran down his cheek, and he was dressed in a flannel shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots. "Sir, have you seen a wild animal run through here?"

"Big deer?" He asked, his brown eyes sparkling, "Yeah, it ran and jumped out over the edge and swam to that beach over there, eh," he said, pointing to a beach some ways back. "What was a deer doin' on board anyway? What happened to no pets allowed?"

"It was a mistake, Mister …"

"Logan," Logan nodded, "Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll head back to my room." he said and walked away from the men, grinning deviously. He then glanced up at the afternoon sky, "I'm a comin', Dog, and hell's coming with me."

---

"You traitor!" Crabbe and Goyle shouted, pushing into the Great Hall and glaring daggers at Draco.

"Oh whoopdee-do," Draco shrugged, turning and looking lazily at the two teenaged thugs. "I don't want that ass-who-must-not-be-shit-on to rule the world, so I'm a traitor. Sit down before you hurt yourselves."

Students began to look worriedly while Dumbledore watched the scene unfold.

Crabbe and Goyle pulled their wands and pointed them directly at Draco, who rolled his eyes and pulled his own, but was surprised to see Ron standing beside him with his own wand drawn as well. "So you're spies then?" Ron asked, narrowing his eyes on the two Slytherin teens.

"What if we are?" Crabbe smiled evilly, "What are you going to do, old man? The Dark Lord is coming and everyone who doesn't bow to him is going to die just like Potter!" he started to laugh, but suddenly stopped when a sticky, web-like substance covered his mouth.

Silky webbing shot down and attached to both boys' wands, jerking them into the air before a massive web-net pushed them into the wall and held them there. Crabbe and Goyle screamed when the large white reflected eyes came down to their faces.

"Listen here you little jerks, Harry Potter was the best of the best of the best and if you had a eighth of a brain cell between you, you'd look up to him instead of that wannabe world conqueror." Spider-Man snapped, hanging upside down before them. "I've seen world conquerors come and go, boys. And you know what, they all go down to heroes like Harry, me, or some other guy or gal who won't bow to some idiot wanting glory and power. You and your 'lil Lord Voldie-thing are going to go down and go down hard. Comprende?"

"Now then," another voice added from the shadows. Crabbe and Goyle's eyes widened when a 'devil' walked out, spinning a pair of nunchucks over his shoulder. "Are there any other spies in the school?" Daredevil asked, his solid, blood-red eyes looking directly at the boys. "Talk and you don't lose any body parts."

"The others have all disappeared," Goyle whimpered.

"They're telling the truth," Daredevil stated, placing his chucks on his belt.

"Yes, school's finally clean of vermin!" Ron pumped his fist into the air before giving Draco a high five. Then realizing what they did, they turned their backs to one another with a huff.

"Nice to know I was good bait, Headmaster," Draco snorted toward the aged Dumbledore.

"Save your remarks for the enemy, Mr. Malfoy," Prof. Dumbledore stated. "But what these two have said was very much a potential fact." He said, watching Spider-Man drag the two boys off. "Any student who is skilled enough to fight and is willing to fight. Professor Xavier, Dr. Strange, and myself will give you advance lessons in the event of a worse case scenario."

The students all had mixed reactions, but for majority of the elder student body it was unanimous: they would stand and fight.

"If only Hermione would get out of her rut," Ron glanced toward her empty seat. "She could make a big difference."

---

Hermione sat alone in her Head Girl dormitory. She let out a sigh, a picture of her and Harry holding one another laughing and kissing in her trembling hand. "Hey, can I come in?" a feminine American voice spoke as her door slowly opened.

"Mary Jane?" Hermione asked glancing up.

"Hey, girl, you ok?" Mary Jane Watson asked, walking into her dorm room.

"Yeah, I'm fine, never been better," Hermione forced a smile.

"You're as bad a liar as Peter," Mary Jane said, resting her fists on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, avoiding eye contact.

"I was with Peter when he found out what happened to Harry," Mary Jane said, sitting down beside her friend. "I came for two reasons: I know Peter's going to find someway or another to make all of this his fault, so I came to stop him from doing that. And also, I knew you needed someone who knows what you're going through."

"Know what I'm going through?" Hermione snapped, turning her flaming eyes to the girl. "Peter's not gone, you have him to go to and hold and love still. How can you POSSIBLY know what I'm going through?"

"I thought you might react like that," Mary Jane smiled sadly and pulled something from her pocket. It was a newspaper clipping she tossed into Hermione's lap.

Hermione's eyes widened at the headline. "Spider-Man Killed?" Hermione asked, gawking at the picture of the red, webwork mask in a police officer's hands, who was holding it like it was some grand prize.

"Peter was fighting someone, I don't even remember who now," Mary Jane said, closing her eyes as the memory flooded her mind, "The super-criminal got away, but the police came. One of the cops had a good shot. Got him in the back, and Peter fell into the East River ."

"I cried for almost a week straight," Mary Jane confessed, "Depressed for two weeks longer. Then I got a call from the Xavier Estate saying he was ok, just hurt and still weak. Really didn't help that much, but at least I got a second chance."

"But I don't see a second chance coming for me …" Hermione said sadly, handing the clipping back to the teen.

"You'll make it through this, Hermione," Mary Jane said, hugging her friend. "You're strong."

"No, I'm not," Hermione whimpered, "Not without him."

"You'd be surprised," Mary Jane said, pulling back. "Listen, if there's one thing I've learned from being around Peter and the other costumed types. It's that miracles happen often with these people." She then gave her friend a sad smile, "At the least you know he's always going to be watching you and waiting for you in Heaven."

"What if I don't believe in Heaven?" Hermione responded, looking away.

"Come on," Mary Jane said, pulling Hermione to her feet, "Show me where we can find some food in this place."

---

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nymphadora Tonks sighed as she stretched out in the back seat of her group's rental car. "We've looked for this guy from California to almost the Atlantic bloody Ocean," Tonks moaned, holding the back of her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun. "Can't we go back home now?"

"We will once we find this Frank Castle," Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody said as he reclined the passenger seat and listened careful to the Muggle police scanner.

"One Muggle in the whole United States of America, oh, that's gonna be a snap!" Tonks complained again.

"How hard can it be," Remus Lupin smirked, "I mean, it's such a small set of states. Just what … fifty? Not bad at all!"

"Oh yeah, a bloody picnic," Tonks moaned.

Lupin was about to retort when Moody jumped to a seated position and cranked the volume on the scanner, "Shut up and listen!" he barked.

"Explosion at a game room on fifth and Adams," the dispatcher called, "All units proceed with caution, one of the suspects is confirmed as the Punisher."

"GO! GO! GO!" Moody barked, and Lupin floored the gas.

---

The two wizards and the witch slowly made their way to the barely standing game room. Tonks quickly covered her mouth as they crouched below one of the blown out windows. The stench of recently dead bodies filled the air. Tonks' mind quickly went to think about how Harry's body was left to lie in the mud, but she quickly shook it off and glanced at the scene inside.

A biker gang had been in there, and now they were all scattered on the floor dead, many mutilated. All that was left was one gang member, who was on his knees crying like a child and another man standing before him holding a gun to his head.

Tonks quickly identified the man with the gun as Frank Castle. He was tall and his body was hidden under a long black trench coat. A black shirt with what appeared to be a giant, white skull and black jeans could be seen under the trench coat. His face was cold and angry in appearance with a dark five o'clock shadow, and his unkempt, dark hair put Tonks in mind of Harry.

"Please don't hurt me, man, please don't hurt me!" The biker begged, tears rolling down his cheeks, "Please, I'm begging you! Please, mercy! Please!"

"Mercy?" The Punisher scoffed, "Does any of what you just said sound familiar? How about that young family on vacation you murdered just to take their money, valuables, and, of all things, their car's gas? You leeches need to be cleansed from the gene pool."

"It was just one family dude, we … we had to …"

"You had to?" Punisher growled, "Jack and Amy Stewart. Jack age thirty-two, Amy age thirty. One son, Matthew, age six. Did they beg for mercy? DID THEY?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Did you give any of them mercy?"

"…"

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

"No …"

"Then neither will you," Punisher said coldly, and mechanically pulled the trigger on the .45 pistol.

Tonks looked away as the sound of the gun echoed through the area. 'This is the guy Xavier said to get to help? He's a raving psychopath!'

She then glanced at Lupin, who slowly stood up, "Frank Castle, are you Frank Castle?" Lupin called out. "We need your help, sir."

"LUPIN, YOU IDIOT!" Moody snapped, but it was too late and Lupin went back with a bullet wound to the shoulder.

Tonks pulled him over and looked at his wound. "I thought he was one of the good guys…" Lupin blinked, gingerly touching the bleeding wound.

Moody and Tonks tried to get his attention, and they got it all right. Machine gun fire shot out from the window they were ducking under. "Lupin, when dealing with a Muggle with a gun, YOU DON'T JUST WALK UP AND BLOODY SAY HEY HELLO!" Moody scolded.

"How much ammo can this guy have?" Tonks asked, gripping her wand and peeking over to see him holding two machine guns in each hand and firing at their direction. "That's it, I'm taking him on," She said determinedly. She kicked off her heels and slid out of her Auror robe leaving her only in a pair of shorts and a sports bra. "The git's going down," She said, kicking off the ground and flipping into the building, gracefully dodging the Punisher's fire, casting her own spells his way en route.

She knocked the machine guns from his hands with a disarming spell, but he quickly pulled a pair of pistols, and she narrowly missed a few shots.

She finally moved in too close for his gunfire to work and he drew a medium sized knife and began slashing at the pink, spiky-haired woman.

Tonks kicked the knife out of Punisher's hands and kicked him again in the chest before diving at him. She pressed the end of her wand to the side of his head while he pressed the barrel of a hidden pistol in his sleeve to the side of hers. "You're pretty good?" Punisher breathed, glaring at her.

"You're not too bad yourself," Tonks panted, staring at him defiantly.

"What do you want?" The Punisher questioned, letting the young woman go and replacing his gun. "Your friends can come in now too." He said, turning his back and kicking one of the dead bodies out of his path.

"We need your help," Tonks stated.

"Is that so?" Punisher asked dully, lighting a cigarette.

"Charles Xavier said you might help us," Moody said, walking in and helping the injured Lupin in with him.

"Professor X?" Punisher asked, somewhat interested now. "What would hot wheels want with a killer like me?"

"We're gathering a force to stand against an army of mutants, androids and Dark wizards," Moody explained, "Your expertise would be a great aid."

"That's nice, but I work alone," Punisher said, starting to walk off.

"The army is lead by a Wizard named Tom Riddle. He has murdered several hundreds of people." Tonks spoke up, and the Punisher froze in his tracks. "His latest victim was a teenaged boy named Harry Potter. He just joined the X-Men last year. Riddle murdered him in cold blood. Just like he killed the boy's parents sixteen years ago. Harry was going to graduate in a few months, Mr. Castle. He had a girlfriend, who loved him with her whole being. We all were counting the days 'til they were going to finally get married and give us children to spoil. He was a friend of mine, a good friend. Harry was a special boy. He had dazzling green eyes, and a smile that made things just feel like they would all work out ok when he flashed it. Riddle took that from us. He has to be stopped, Mr. Castle; he has to be Punished. Please … please help us stop him. Stop him from causing our pain to spread to others. To stop your pain from spreading to others."

"What's your name?" Punisher asked quietly.

"Nymphadora Tonks, why?" Tonks asked taken back by the question.

"And your friends?"

"The guy you shot is Remus Lupin, and the man with the funny eye is Alastor Moody, but we call him 'Mad-Eye', again, why are you asking?" Tonks asked in confusion.

"If we're going to work together I can't just go around and say 'hey you', now can I?" Punisher said, giving her a smirk, "Now let's go before the police get here and try to bring me in … again."

---

Hermione and Mary Jane walked into the Great Hall just in time to get the tail end of Dumbledore's announcements. And what Hermione heard caused her to tremble in rage.

"I have taken the names of all those willing to take part in 'Dumbledore's Army'; rest assured, you won't be on the front lines, and hopefully, none of you will have to fight at all. This is only a last chance scenario. As many of you are aware, Ms. Granger has suffered a great loss. Until I deem her fit to continue on as Head Girl, Ms. Lavender Brown will be acting Head Girl."

"I am fit to be Head Girl," Hermione snapped, walking briskly toward the headmaster with purpose. "And I won't stand for you making these students think you're letting them choose, you manipulative old goat!"

"Hermione! Calm down!" Ron said, trying to calm her down but she just shoved him back.

"No, I won't calm down," Hermione snapped before turning her hateful gaze on Dumbledore, "You filled Harry's mind with the rubbish that he could take on Voldemort by himself and win. It's your fault he's dead, Dumbledore," Hermione spat hatefully, "He was seventeen years old. He hadn't even graduated yet, and you pushed that nonsense into his head to the point he believed it too, to the point we all believed it. But if that was true, why isn't he here, Dumbledore? Why isn't Harry alive?"

Dumbledore was dumbstruck and the Great Hall was deathly quite. But Hermione's rampage had only just begun. She then turned to the X-Men, "And you, all of you! Harry thought of you as his family; he loved all of you! And how do you repay that? You left him to die! You didn't even give him the decency at having his body laid to rest with his parents? Voldemort probably left it lying in the mud to rot."

She then turned back to Dumbledore, "Fine, Dumbledore, you don't want me to be Head Girl anymore? Fine, take it! I don't want it!" she then turned and stomped out of the Great Hall, leaving all inside stunned.

"Harry …" Ron said, sitting down and laying his head on the table, "Why the bloody hell AREN'T YOU HERE!" He screamed, not caring anymore. "Hermione's coming apart the seams, the whole school's stressed and I … I need my best friend!" Jubilee walked over and rubbed his back gently, "Harry we all need you here … we need you here now!"

To Be Continued …

Next Chapter: The Purgatory of Harry Potter


	4. Choice Between Life and Death

Interlude: Choice between Life and Death

"_Ok, Tom," Harry said turning to the glaring Dark Lord, "Let's finish this."_

_Voldemort approached his longtime rival, "Let's." _

_The two continued to stare each other down when finally Voldemort cast a curse Harry's way. Harry, not really caring what it did, jumped to the side, using his enhanced speed to easily dodge the attack. He quickly returned with a spell of his own, but it was mostly for a distraction. _

"_You never liked Muggle fighting styles did you, Tom?" Harry asked as he quickly got in Voldemort's s defenses and kneed him in the abdomen followed by a backhanded punch. _

"_You've learned a lot since we first met officially, Harry," Voldemort said, apparating a few yards away to put some distance between them. _

"_You're not going to win," Harry said before running toward him again, unfortunately Voldemort was ready this time. _

_Just as Harry stepped up to the Dark Lord, Voldemort brought his wand up and bellowed "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" the spell flew forward and hit Harry right in the chest._

"_You … bastard …" Harry growled out, barely able to move even with the use of his telekinesis._

"_Such language from a hero!" Voldemort laughed. _

"_I'm still going to beat you," Harry growled in his mind, "even if you stop me, my friends will finish what I started." _

"_You sound like your father!" Voldemort smiled evilly, "Such a strong sense of justice, such bad comedy." _

_Voldemort glanced around the area, "Where are your X-Men? Where are your friends? Where is your mentor Dumbledore? Where is your Hermione or her twisted copy?"_

"_You're all alone, Harry," Voldemort grinned venomously, "Alone in the rain with me ... and death." _

"_I'm never alone," Harry forced out. _

"_It has been fun, Harry Potter," Voldemort said, raising his wand and watching the X-Jet approach them from the corner of his eye. _

"_You have been a very worthy rival, and it may come at little relief, but you have my respect," Voldemort bowed slightly, and aimed the wand point blank at Harry's chest. _

"_Avada Kedavra." _

_The green beam hit Harry's chest and the light faded from his green eyes. He slowly stumbled backwards, his breath escaping his now limp jaw in a gasp before he hit the ground with a thud, splashing the puddle around him._

"WAKE UP, BOY!"

Harry's eyes snapped open to find himself in the cupboard under the stairs. He glanced toward the small door to see Uncle Vernon's purple face glaring hatefully at him. He reached in and grabbed Harry by the Hogwarts robe collar and drug him out into the Great Hall, which was filled with students. "Come along, Boy, you have a lot to answer for!"

Vernon pulled Harry down between middle of the Hall toward the professors' table, and shoved him in front of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore smiled kindly, "I've a question for you, and you must answer truthfully and honestly, ok?"

"I'll … I'll do my best sir," Harry nodded.

"Very good, very good," Dumbledore grinned, "Ok Harry, I'll asked you this once and once only." He said, leaning forward. And in the blink of an eye, he was replaced by an eleven-year-old Hermione Granger, "Have you seen a toad?"

"THERE HE IS!" eleven-year-old Neville said, shoving Harry and Vernon out of the way. Harry turned to see the Brotherhood of Mutants member known as Toad look back at the boy in raw terror and took off, hopping away with Neville in hot pursuit. "COME BACK, TREVOR!"

Harry watched them go before turning back to see the Twins, Fred and George Weasley, in Dumbledore's chair. "You are in deep trouble, Mr. Potter," Fred said seriously.

"Indeed he is, Fred," George agreed.

"You've went to a brand new rebuilt school for almost an entire fall term, and what mischief did you do?" Fred asked.

"The answer is none."

"What is it good for?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" The twins called in unison, pointing at Harry angrily.

Suddenly, Harry was standing beside a tree near the lake just outside Hogwarts Castle.

"I'm late! I'm late! I'm late, late, late!" Hermione's voice called from behind Harry, and he turned to find a seventeen-year-old Hermione in a white bikini, with a fluffy cottontail, and long, floppy, white ears on top of her head.

"Hermione?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Can't talk now, Harry, I'm late!" Hermione called and dashed past him, and on instinct Harry ran after her.

He ran after her, and watched as she dove into a large hole in the ground. Harry quickly followed her into the darkness.

"Hello, Harry," Ron said from behind him. Harry turned, having to shield his eyes from the blinding light. His eyes adjusted and Harry found himself in the Gryffindor common room. Ron was seated before him, but was dressed as Harry had never seen him before. He was wearing a black dress shirt, purple pants and a white tie under black crocodile trench coat, his blue eyes were hidden under dark armless sunglasses attached to the bridge of his nose, and his red hair was slicked back tight.

"Ok, it's official," Harry said, slumping in a chair. "I've gone off the deep end. Am I really in a padded room and a straight jacket?"

"You're not insane, Harry," Ron said with a straight face, "You died. This is just your mind preparing itself for your reawakening."

"Insane it is then, yup," Harry said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Your choice, of course, Harry," Ron said, leaning forward. "You can stay as you are now, or you can return and aid your friends in the battle against Voldemort and his forces."

"I don't understand …" Harry shook his head and his surroundings changed again.

"Why do you go on?" an eleven-year-old boy asked, stepping into a spotlight before Harry. He was dressed in dirty hand-me-down clothing two sizes too big and a pair of taped-up broken glasses. His shaggy, dirty, ink-black hair barely concealed a lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Is it for love?" the young Harry asked, "Do you want someone to love you?"

The background flashed with memories of abuse by the Dursleys and then the love and care that he received at Hogwarts by Dumbledore and his friends, then on to Xavier's with Scott, Jean and the X-Men.

"Why do you go on?" Another stepped into a spotlight, this time a thirteen-year-old Harry. His hair neat, but still unkempt, his glasses repaired and dressed in nice Hogwarts Gryffindor class robes. "Is it honor? Bravery? Courage?" the thirteen year old Harry stated.

Images flashed of Harry doing heroic, selfless things: confronting Quirrel for the Sorcerer's Stone, rescuing Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, rescuing Sirius and Buckbeak, facing Voldemort after his resurrection, raiding the Department of Mysteries, risking his own life to stop Apocalypse.

"Why do you go on?" Another asked, this time it was a seventeen-year-old Harry wearing his Mage X-Man uniform. "Is it for the sake of teamwork? Is it to protect those you care for?"

Harry then saw images of his relationship with Hermione, Dumbledore, the Weasleys, and the X-Men.

"Why do you go on?" the three Harry's asked him in unison.

Harry stared at his three Doppelgangers, unsure of how to respond.

"Why do I go on?" Harry asked, his head snapping up in realization. The three Harry's smiled and slowly went transparent. "I go on for all these reasons; I go on for Dumbledore, Scott, Jean, the X-Men, New Hogwarts, Ron, and Hermione, I go on for them. They depend on me, as much as I depend on them!" he said as all four Harry's merged into one.

Harry's eyes snapped open and he found himself lying on the cold floor of a cave.

"Welcome back," a familiar voice spoke from his left. "I was afraid even with our combined power you wouldn't come back to us …"

"You're alive …" Harry gawked at the woman.

She nodded, her red hair bouncing with the movement, "Thanks mostly to your mother. She's the reason you're back too. It's been three weeks, sweetheart, even I was beginning to have my doubts."

"Three weeks? Hermione …" Harry stared into space for a moment before turning back to the woman with a smile. "I'm late enough. It's time to go home."

To Be Continued …


	5. The Phoenix Alliance

Chapter 3: The Battle of New Hogwarts Part 1 Birth of the Phoenix Alliance

_Someone told me  
Love would all save us  
But, how can that be  
Look what love gave us_

_A world full of killing  
And blood spilling  
That world never came_

_And they say  
That a hero could save us  
I'm not gonna stand here and wait  
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles  
Watch as we all fly away_

- Chad Kroeger _'Hero'_

---

Off the coast of Scotland, a mass of dark figures apparated on the shore. From cloaked Death Eaters and Sentinels to Giants to Magneto's and Voldemort's generals, the force was massive. The full force of Death Eaters: 1500 members, Magneto's forces, which were well over 1000 recruited Mutants, 100 Sentinels, and a small army of 200 Giants.

A large, metal platform floated before the army, and on it stood Voldemort and Magneto. "No wall of New Hogwarts can remain standing," Voldemort commanded, "All will die with the exception of Potter's Mudblood."

The massive army then began moving toward the tall castle several miles along the shore. "ON TO NEW HOGWARTS!" Magneto called and the platform slowly led the army toward the rebuilt castle.

---

Jubilation Lee walked quietly into the Gryffindor common room and spotted her boyfriend seated beside the fireplace, staring at his board of wizard chess. "You ok, babe?" Jubilee asked sitting down beside him.

"This is chess night," Ron stated, not glancing at her, "Me and Harry, since our first year, no matter how much homework, or what was due tomorrow, we'd sit here 'til early in the morning and just play chess." Ron then let out a sigh, "Only time we missed was during our … misunderstanding in fourth year, and then last year when we found out he was … ya know."

"I could play?" Jubilee asked, giving him a sad smile.

"Nah, I'm thinking about giving it up," Ron said, flicking over his side's king. "Quidditch too. Just … doesn't seem to have the same kick as it used to, you know."

Jubilee put her arm around his shoulders, "Hey, you don't have to be strong all the time you know?"

"Yes, I do," Ron stated, choking down a sob, "Harry's … gone, Hermione's shot to pieces, and … I'm all that's left. I promised I'd hold everything together if something happened to him, but … I never thought anything ever would."

A pop flashed in Ron's face making him jump back, "Wha?"

"You're not all that's left," Jubilee said, making him look at her, "Everyone in this tower I guarantee feels the same you do right now, same as the X-Men. Now let's play," Jubilee said with a smile as she hopped over to sit across from her boyfriend.

"Fine, if you don't mind losing."

"Wanna put your money where your mouth is?"

---

Ginny Weasley sighed as she walked into the women's lavatory, but had the wind knocked out of her when she was suddenly slammed against the wall.

"I think a nice girl talk is quite overdue," Hermione's voice hissed as she pulled back Harry's invisible cloak to show her enraged face, "Don't you agree?"

"Hermione, I had no …"

"Don't you dare say you had no choice, you always have a choice," Hermione half screamed, shoving her harder into the wall.

"Hermione, please …" Ginny squeaked, but Hermione showed no signs of mercy.

"What's it like, Gin?" Hermione growled, "Having blood on your hands?"

"I …"

"Don't try to excuse yourself, I know what you did, Weasley," Hermione narrowed her cold brown eyes, "You sold Harry and his friends out once, and just so happens not long after they walk right into a Ministry trap. Quite the coincidence, hmm?"

"I had nothing to do with that," Ginny said, tears rimming her eyes, "I swear."

"You're dating a Malfoy, are you not?" Hermione snorted, "Lies are rampant with anyone associated with them."

"Draco's not like that anymore," Ginny whimpered, "You know that …"

"Once a racist, filthy worm, always a racist, filthy worm," Hermione snarled, getting in the younger girl's face.

Ginny sniffed and could smell Ogden's Old Firewhiskey on Hermione's breathe, "Hermione, have you been drinking?"

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!" Hermione screamed, pushing her harder into the wall again.

"Hermione, that's enough!" Kitty's voice sounded from the entrance, and Hermione spun around to glare at the American.

Hermione pounced at the girl, but passed right through her. "Ginny, go get Professor Xavier or McGonagall," Kitty instructed, letting Hermione jump through her again.

Ginny nodded and ran out. "DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE!" Hermione screamed, but Kitty grabbed her arms. "LET ME GO!"

"Hermione!" Kitty said, turning her to where she could see the large mirror attached to the wall, "Look at yourself! Do you like what you see? Do you think Harry would like what he would see?"

Hermione stared at herself before breaking down into sobs. Kitty turned her around and held her tightly, "Let it out, you need to let it all out. I know, Hermione, I know you don't like to hear it, but I know what you're feeling, I loved him too, not as much as you did, but I loved him nonetheless. Let it out, and save your anger for the one really responsible. We'll get Voldemort, I promise."

"Ms. Granger, Hermione," Professor McGonagall spoke softly as she approached the girls. She placed a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder before continuing, "Do you understand now why Prof. Dumbledore gave your Head Girl responsibilities to Ms. Brown? You need time to grieve, Hermione; we mean no disrespect to you in any means. And should you need to speak to anyone, I am here for my favorite student."

McGonagall then gave her some Sobering Solution, which helped bring what was left of the sparkle back to Hermione's eyes. "Come along now," McGonagall said with a gentle smile, "Professor Dumbledore and Professor Xavier wish to speak with you."

"Am I … in trouble for what happened?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"What happened?" Ginny asked with a wink, standing behind Prof. McGonagall, "I don't know what your talking about, Hermione." They all walked out, missing the look of sadness and guilt crossing Ginny's features.

---

Prof. McGonagall led Hermione up to Professor Dumbledore's office in silence. She finally spoke when they stopped before the large gargoyle, "Potter's Legacy."

The gargoyle hopped aside and revealed the staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. McGonagall led the girl up the stone stairs and into the office.

"Hello, Hermione," Dumbledore nodded to the girl.

Hermione gave a small nod, her opinion on the aged Professor still standing from earlier.

"I know you are upset, but you have to understand that we need all the help we can get," Dumbledore said, speaking of the recruitment of students. "Voldemort is coming, I know not how soon, but he will strike. And should we not get any more help, New Hogwarts will fall, and all inside her walls will die or worse."

"Tell me, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said leaning over his desk, "Would you rather stay inside and await your torture and or death, or would you prefer to face it head on?" He then smirked slightly. "Should Harry be here, which would he chose?"

"How dare you …" Hermione hissed.

"Oh my …" Dumbledore gasped, losing the color in his cheeks. He seemed to straighten up, a sense of power emanating from him.

"I'll ask one last time, Ms. Granger, will you fight?" Dumbledore asked, standing up.

"I'm tired of fighting," Hermione sighed, glancing away.

"Then it seems that more than one hero has left us at Voldemort's hands …" Dumbledore sighed sadly, "Return to your dorm room now please."

"What? But I have classes," Hermione blinked in surprise.

"I am afraid classes have been canceled," Dumbledore said moving toward the door, "I have received word from Professor Xavier. He has come."

Professor McGonagall quickly led Hermione to the Head Girl dorm room. "All will work out for the best, Hermione," She said, making a quick wave of her hand toward her closet, "Do what you know you feel you must. That is all you're expected to do."

Hermione watched her leave before a faint bit of curiosity grabbed her senses. She turned and walked to the closet and opened the door. Everything was as it should be … except Harry's spare X-Men uniform.

---

"She didn't come, huh?" Neville asked as he stood beside Ron, Jubilee, Kurt, Kitty, and Ginny. The gathered force of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, X-Men, and battle-ready students stood out before the castle. Win or lose, all were ready to give everything.

"Can't hardly blame her, really," Ron said, drawing his wand. "I hardly want to be here either."

"These new robes, Ron?" Jubilee asked, glancing over her boyfriend.

"They're Harry's," Ron stated and the group fell into silence.

"Heads up, mates," Draco in his Darkangel costume called, flying overhead.

Ron glanced up and saw a big black shadow start to cover the hillside. "Oh ,Merlin, where did he get so many chaps?"

"It doesn't matter," a prim, knowing voice spoke matter-of-factly behind them, "We'll take them all down just the same."

Ron spun on his heel to see Hermione standing there, glaring ahead at the army. Her long bushy hair blew behind her and her figure shown off magnificently under the magically fitted X-Men uniform. "They took him from us, Ron, remember that."

Ron smiled as Hermione gave him a quick hug and stood by his side. "I knew you'd come," He smiled, "And also," he continued, glancing up at the sky, "Forgive me mate, but she looks a hell of a lot better in that than you ever did."

"We can't win against these odds," Luna Lovegood stated with an uncharacteristic seriousness in her voice, walking over to the group of Gryffindors made up of Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny.

"Maybe not," Hermione said, scowling at the coming army, "But we can give them a run for their money before they get us."

---

Harry Potter took a deep breath as he gazed at the front door of Grimmauld Place, his late Godfather's former home. He glanced up to watch the flaming Phoenix soar into the distance. 'All she said was New Hogwarts and my friends were in danger,' Harry thought as he pulled the key from his dirty and torn X-Men uniform jacket, and opened the door to the obviously now abandoned mansion. "She said she had some matters to attend to and I'd find a ride to Hogwarts here. I can guess what it is, if he's still here that is."

Harry caught a glimpse of himself in a full mirror on the wall, "My God," Harry gasped, "Might as well get cleaned up a bit before I make my return." He said, pulling his uniform jacket off. "Just because I came back from the bloody dead doesn't mean I have to look like a zombie … Let's see if I remember the cleaning charm, what was that patching charm again … where's Mione when you need her …"

---

Who fired the first shot may never be known, but the battle for New Hogwarts had exploded violently. Wizards, Witches, Mutants, Giants, Heroes and Villains clashed in a gigantic war just beyond the outer gates of the newly constructed towers.

Hermione Granger was among the fiercest of warriors in this battle. These intruders were following the one who took away what meant the most to her, and where Harry Potter fell, she would rise with cold, crisp vengeance.

Her long, bushy hair waved behind her as she ran and rolled to dodge a few Death Eaters' spells before spotting the Mutant known as Blob, and with a powerful yet unspoken spell, she blasted the massive two-ton mutant on top of a group of Death Eaters.

"Hello Ms. Granger, I was hoping we'd cross paths in this battle," a voice hissed from behind her, and she spun around to come face to face with Voldemort himself. "You and your boyfriend and best friend have caused me quite a bit of grief in the last few years, my dear Mudblood. I wonder … can I make you beg for mercy as Potter did before I took his life?"

---

A Sentinel turned its head after blasting at Kingsley Shacklebolt, only to have its head quickly removed from a powerful punch from Rogue.

Rogue gave a small wave to the Order of the Phoenix member before she cried out in pain and fell to the ground. She expected to hit the ground but instead was slowly lowered and gently helped to her feet. "Are you alright?" a low voice asked beside her.

She glanced to see who was helping her stand and was surprised to see the New Hogwarts professor Severus Snape staring at her with mildly worried eyes. "Ah … Ah'm all right, Professah," Rogue said with a faint blush, "Thanks bunches for the helpin' hand."

"You should learn to watch that well defined posterior a bit better, my dear," Snape said, removing his hands from her, "Now you can remain here as a sitting duck as it were, but I believe I will continue on in this battle."

Snape gasped when Rogue grabbed him and pulled him into the air, barely missing a rampaging Fluffy attacking Death Eaters and Brotherhood members.

"Now we're even, Sugah," Rogue smirked as she lowered the Potion master back to the ground.

---

Ron Weasley gasped as a Cruciatus Curse shot over his shoulder, and quickly disarmed and stupefied the offending Death Eater.

He jumped back again as several more curses shot his way, and felt quit ill when he realized some of the beams were green in color.

"This isn't good," Ron heard Dumbledore say as he stood beside Professor Xavier. Dumbledore was launching his own spells while Xavier was holding his temples, apparently attacking the enemies' minds.

"There are far too many, Albus," Xavier said in a tired voice, "We have to retreat …"

"Retreat where?" Dumbledore asked.

Ron narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the gathered Death Eaters and Giants approaching him. "Well, mate, seems we're going to be seeing each other sooner rather than later," Ron said an almost insane smile growing on his face, "But I can drop a few of these arses off at hell on my way!"

Ron then took a dash at the group, but cried out when a Cruciatus Curse brought him to his knees. The pain slowly eased and he could hear them laughing in the distance. "I'll finish this one," one of the Death Eaters said a good twenty feet away. _"Avada …"_

Ron closed his eyes tight, "Get the chessboard ready, Mate, play you when I get up there…"

Ron then heard the Death Eater cast the end of the spell, could hear the energy hiss through the air, but at the last minute heard what sounded like a bullet hitting steel followed by a loud thud across the way.

Ron slowly opened his eyes to see he was alive, but the Death Eater was lying on the ground dead. And between them stood a tall man in a tight red, white, and blue uniform. Mostly blue with red and white strips crossing his midsection and a large white star on the center of his back and across his chest. On his arm was a large circular shield, concentric rings of red and white with a blue center a white star in the middle of that. The man's head was covered with a blue half mask with small wings on the sides of his head.

The man turned to look at Ron and Ron could see a large white A in the center of his forehead. His deep blue eyes gave a sense of power he had only seen twice before: in Albus Dumbledore's and Harry Potter's eyes. "Need a hand, son?" the man said, reaching down with a red gloved hand.

"W-Who are you?" Ron asked, nervous from the man's intimidating presence.

"America and her allies are here to help," the man smiled kindly before turning to the field where, while Ron was gazing at the Star-spangled Avenger, the odds had changed.

"IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME!" A large rock-like humanoid thing called out as he literally plowed into a Sentinel, picked it up by its leg and slammed it into the ground. "What ya waitin' for, matchsticks? Join the fun!" He called up into the air.

Ron glanced up and was shocked to see three aircraft approaching. The smallest was around the size of a car. A hatch opened and a man in a blue bodysuit leapt out. With a call of "Flame On!" his body suddenly combusted and he flew into the crowd of Death Eaters shooting flame from his hands.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier appeared after that and flew low enough that a small army of heavily armed agents were lowered with ropes into the battle.

A third aircraft -smaller then the Helicarrier, but larger then the first air vehicle- landed just outside the battlefield and the hatch opened and a large group of multicolored heroes. One in a purple suit with a bow and arrow, one Ron recognized as Scarlet Witch, another teenaged girl in a yellow suit, a man in a yellow and red suit of high tech Muggle armor. And another in a strange blue suit, helmet and with a large hammer among others ran into the melee.

Captain America raised his shielded arm high and called out in a loud voice that grabbed almost everyone's attention.

"AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"

To Be Continued …

Next Chapter: Hermione Granger vs. Voldemort, Ron Weasley vs. Magneto, the gathered 'Phoenix Alliance' vs. Voldemort's forces, and finally two heroes' return and two pair of star-crossed lovers reunited.


	6. Lovers Again

Chapter 4: Battle of New Hogwarts Part 2: Lovers Again

"Hello Ms. Granger, I was hoping we'd cross paths in this battle," a voice hissed from behind Hermione, and she spun around to come face to face with Voldemort himself. "You and your boyfriend and best friend have caused me quite a bit of grief in the last few years, my dear Mudblood. I wonder … can I make you beg for mercy as Potter did before I took his life?"

"Harry Potter would never beg, especially to a bastard of your degree," Hermione snapped back, pointing her wand at the Dark Lord. "You know, I was hoping we'd meet as well, Dog." Hermione smirked darkly at the stunned look that crossed his face, "I know all about your history. I know why you hate Harry's father, and in turn hate Harry. You'll pay for causing them both so much pain."

"Do you know how many times I have heard that? Even from your own precious Potter," Voldemort rolled his eyes before firing a disarming spell at the teenaged girl.

Hermione waved her wand and deflected the spell, hitting a Death Eater that was approaching her from her left without breaking eye contact with Voldemort. "Impressive, Mudblood," Voldemort sneered, "Very impressive indeed."

"Coming from you, I'm not flattered." Hermione replied, side stepping a second spell and firing her own Stunning Spell that narrowly missed the unprepared Voldemort.

Voldemort sent a barrage of his best spells, conserving most of his power for Dumbledore and also not willing to waste good spells on a Mudblood. He smirked as dust boiled from where the Head Girl was standing. And after a few moments shook his head and turned his back. "Good … but still a Mudblood." He said as he started to walk off.

"Are you finished playing, because I'm tired of games, Tom Riddle." Voldemort's eyes widened as heard Hermione's voice call from the smoke.

---

"Helmet head is mine!" Ron called as he narrowly missed Blob's flying tackle. He glanced down at the two ton mutant before finding at the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants standing on his floating metal platform over the battlefield. "Hey! Old-timer! Come down here and fight me Muggle to Wizard!"

"Pathetic child," Magneto said, glancing down at the teen. "A foolish student challenging the Master of Magnetism? Be gone, fool, I have more important matters to attend."

The fact the villain ignored him just infuriated the redhead more than ever before. The youngest male Weasley pointed his wand at the gray and scarlet clad mutant, _"STUPEFY!"_ He cast, but the spell was stopped by Magneto's magnetic barriers. "Oh big man hiding behind his force field, Coward!"

"You know nothing of battle, boy, depart before I get angry."

'Magnetic powers huh?' Ron thought as he narrowed his eyes in thought, 'Never thought one of Fred and George's tricks would come in handy but … guess everybody has a use sometime or another. Hope this works …' Ron smiled and looked back up at the older man. "Hey, Magnet bloke, I just have two words to say to you!" Ron said, twirling his wand in a horseshoe path and called out, _"Confuto Magnetos!"_

A blue and red magical blast shot toward the Master of Magnetism, this time blazing through his force barrier and striking him in the chest.

"What the …" Magneto said in surprise as the platform rocked a few seconds before plummeting to the ground on a few unsuspecting Death Eaters.

Magneto shook his head and looked up just in time for Ron's fist to collide with his face, "Don't worry, Maggie," Ron smiled as he knocked the old man's helmet clear off, "That was just a little spell to stop magnets from being magnets. Great for buggering up Muggle electronics. You should have your powers back … in about a week … I think."

---

Hermione cried as pain shot up her leg from where Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse grazed her right thigh. She fell to the ground grasping her leg as it throbbed in pain.

"Getting tired, Mudblood?" Voldemort said as he approached the girl.

Hermione slowly pulled herself back to her feet, her hair stuck to her sweat covered neck and face. Hermione limped back and gasped as she saw she was approaching a cliff overlooking the rough waves and jagged rocks. "Nowhere to run, little Mudblood, going to cry out for mercy as your loved one did? Harry was quite distraught when I bested him, crying like a baby … begging for mercy … begging me not to harm you."

_Where have all the good men gone  
and where are all the gods?_

"You'll … never win …" Hermione breathed holding her wand in a trembling hand.

"Funny, I believe that is what Potter and his father said before I defeated them both." Voldemort mused, _"Accio Wand"_ He said, and Hermione's wand shot from her hand into Voldemort's. "Don't you see, Granger? I already have won."

_Where's the street-wise Hercules  
to fight the rising odds?_

Voldemort chuckled to himself and stuffed both his and Hermione's wands into his cloak, "A silly little Mudblood isn't worth wasting magic on." He said as he approached the girl.

The Dark Lord grabbed Hermione's face in his bony hand roughly and smiled down at her, "Such a beautiful face to have such ugly blood."

_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_

"It's a shame … such beauty … must ally with Potter." Voldemort sneered, "Goodbye Mudblood," he said before shoving Hermione back hard, causing her to stumble off the cliff.

Hermione opened her eyes to see the jagged rocks approaching rapidly. A small happy smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes welcomingly. "I'm coming, Harry …"

_Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need …_

"HERMIONE!" Ron Weasley called from across the battlefield. He saw Captain America's shield flying through the air, and narrowed eyes in rage, _"ACCIO SHIELD!"_ He called, and the red white and blue shield turned and flew onto the boy's arm as he dashed toward the man he grew up in fear of now in raw rage.

_I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_

"NO ONE ELSE!" Ron called in pure hatred as he deflected Voldemort's spell with Captain America's shield. "FIRST HARRY! NOW HERMIONE? I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ANYMORE OF MY FRIENDS … ANYMORE OF MY FAMILY!"

Voldemort didn't get his own magical barrier up before Ron hit him hard with the solid Adamantium alloy shield, sending the snake-like wizard to the ground. _"CRUCIO!"_ Ron called, aiming his wand at the dazed Voldemort and the Dark Lord cried out in pain.

_He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh for the fight_

Ron kicked the wizard in the ribs making him roll along the ground, "That was for Hermione!" Ron said, moving in on the man he now held no fear for.

_I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life_

Ron jerked the Dark Lord off the ground by the collar of his robes, "For Harry!" Ron snapped before backhanding the wizard with the shield.

He picked the man back up, and glared hatefully at the Dark Wizard. "And this is for me!" Ron said, head butting the man hard.

Ron took a step back before Captain America's shield was blasted off his arm and clanged along the hard ground. Ron reached for it, but was blasted back by a Stunning Spell from a Death Eater.

"You pathetic little fool," Voldemort snapped, climbing back to his feet, _"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_ He called, but before the beam could hit Ron, a pair of talons grabbed Ron by the shoulders and lifted him into the air.

_Somewhere after midnight  
In my wildest fantasy  
Somewhere just beyond my reach  
There's someone reaching back for me  
_

"What the?" Ron asked, looking up to see a familiar Hippogriff carrying him high above the battlefield. "Buckbeak? What are you doing here?"

_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet_

Professor Xavier and Dumbledore stayed behind a broken wall seeking cover, while trying to see how the battle was progressing.

Dumbledore sighed as the armored Iron Man crashed into a wall after being smacked by a Sentinel, then glanced at the wheelchair bound mutant, "We're losing aren't we, Charles?"

"We'll find a way, Albus. We'll find a way." Xavier replied before catching sight of the Hippogriff flying toward them. "By the Maker…" he said in awe and wonder. Dumbledore looked up to where Xavier was looking and smiled slightly, seeing the winged cross between an eagle and a horse, and knowing who must be riding it.

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above_

_Out where the lightning splits the sea  
I would swear that there's someone somewhere  
Watching me_

Ron was sat down gently before the winged animal swung around and landed. The battle slowed to a stop as those who recognized Buckbeak's rider gave a look as if they'd seen a ghost.

_Through the wind and the chill and the rain_

He hopped down off the Hippogriff and turned to the stunned Ron Weasley. "Take her," He said, placing the fainted Hermione into Ron's arms.

_And the storm and the flood_

"My God, he's back …" Xavier breathed.

"There may be hope now," Dumbledore agreed as possibly the most powerful wizard of the generation stood before them.

He pulled off his sunglasses and placed them in his uniform jacket's pocket and approached the shocked Voldemort. "One must stand, Tom, and one must fall. Neither can live while the other survives."

_I can feel his approach  
Like the fire in my blood_

Hermione's eyes slowly fluttered open, and glanced up to see she was cradled in Ron's arms. "Ron, what's …" she started, but stopped suddenly when she followed his line of sight. "Harry …"

_Hero!_

"You!" Voldemort gasped, backing away from the Boy Who Lived Yet Again, "You CANNOT be here! I killed you! I watched YOU DIE!"

Harry Potter merely shrugged and popped his neck, "I got better."

_I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night _

"DEMENTORS! TO ME!" Voldemort called, but no assistance came.

"Sorry, Tommy," Harry smirked darkly, "They can't help you anymore. Mum, you remember her as Lily Potter, used to be Lily Evans, she's taken care of them." He said as he continued toward him.

_He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh for the fight_

"You lie! Your mother is dead!" Voldemort said, fear evident in his high, cold voice.

"As I should be if you recall. I went and got her and we agreed we'd come back and bring you to the afterlife with us." Harry said with a sinister smile, "Haven't been there, but Hell looks really scary passing over it."

_I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_

Voldemort held his wand toward Harry, but it was visibly shaking. "Go ahead, as the Muggles say, third time's a charm, but they also say three strikes and you're out."

"Sentinels! Destroy the boy!" Voldemort ordered as he placed more space between the young X-Man/wizard and himself. But the Death Eater's lord flinched when what sounded like a phoenix's call filled the air.

Heroes and villains both jumped or ducked as beams of fire shot through the back and chests of the massive machines, causing them to fall to the ground in heaps. "MY PRECIOUS SENTINELS!" Lucius Malfoy called as he watched his creations destroyed.

_He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life_

"What?" Voldemort gasped as a gigantic flaming bird soared over the battlefield, causing many of Voldemort and Magneto's forces to run.

"What do you say, Tom?" Harry asked, pulling his wand from his holster, "Finish it now or later?"

_Hero!_

"Enjoy your victory today, Potter," Voldemort sneered, "We WILL meet again." And with that, the Dark Lord turned on his heel and walked toward Lucius. "Sound the retreat." He said softly.

"What sir?" Lucius asked in surprise.

"Don't make me repeat myself!" He hissed, before disapparating.

_Oh, he's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh for the fight!_

"HA! HE DID IT!" Spider-Man laughed as he watched the Dark wizards and evil mutants run away, "Harry turned the tide!"

Heroes and young Wizards and Witches cheered, and danced around the broken remains of the Sentinels in victory.

While Harry let out a loud sigh of relief. "Thank God that worked …"

"MAGE!" Harry heard in stereo before he was tackled and dog piled by the younger X-Men, then by New Hogwarts students.

Harry managed to crawl out before Jubilee, Shadowcat, and Nightcrawler gave their own group hug on the boy. "Thank the Lord, this is a true miracle!" Kurt cheered as he hugged Harry and the girls with both arms and his tail.

They finally let go and Harry was pulled into yet another hug. "You never cease to amaze me, son," Cyclops said as he pulled the teen into a tight hug.

"Missed you too, Dad," Harry said returning the hug.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Hermione watched fearfully beside Ron. "Well?" the youngest male Weasley asked, looking at the bushy haired teen questioningly. "He's waiting for you." Ron said, nodding toward Harry, who had just been released by his adopted father.

Hermione gulped and slowly moved forward. Harry turned to meet her. And the whole crowd was silent as the two met face to face for the first time in months. "Um … Hi, Hermione …" Harry said uncomfortably.

"Is this some freaky dream?" Hermione asked, looking up into Harry's emerald green eyes. "Because if it is … I just can't handle it …"

Ron being the helpful best friend that he is, walked up and grabbed a few strands of her hair and gave a hard jerk, removing them and their roots from her head. "RON, YOU INSUFFERABLE GIT, WHAT DID YOU … This isn't a dream …"

"Sorry, I'm late, Mione," Harry said, softly cupping Hermione's cheek in his hand. "But you should have known I'd come back to you."

"YOU'VE REALLY COME BACK!" Hermione sobbed as she threw her arms around the young wizard's neck and pressed her lips to his in a fiercely passionate kiss.

"I hate to interrupt this tender moment, Harry, but please, how did you survive this time? The X-Men saw your body." Dumbledore asked.

Harry and Hermione broke the kiss, but remained in each other's arms, "Mum, she brought me back." Harry stated.

"What?" Xavier asked puzzled.

"You coming down, Mum?" Harry asked, looking toward the sky.

On cue, the massive firebird circled the group before landing before them. The Flames recessed and a lone figure walked out. "Hi, Scott …" Jean Gray said shyly, giving a small smile to her husband.

"Jean …" Cyclops blinked, his visor-covered eyes running from her face to her red and gold clad body back to her emerald green eyes, "Jean, you're alive?" He asked in a squeaky voice before his body went slack and fell into Gambit and Rogue's arms.

"Easy mon ami," Gambit said as Rogue gently slapped the field commander's cheeks.

"Fine way to say howdy to ya betta half, huh, Sugah?" Rogue giggled.

"Would someone mind filling us in on what's going on?" Mr. Fantastic, leader of the Fantastic Four, asked approaching the group.

"Let's go inside," Jean said glancing around the group, "We have a lot to talk about."

To Be Continued …

Sorry for the very long wait, and shouldn't take as long, but don't expect another update overnight. My college is about to start back so it'll have some delay. But more is on the way!

Disclaimer: the song in this chapter was "Holding out for a Hero" by Jennifer Saunders from the Shrek 2 soundtrack.

Next chapter: The Slap Heard Round The World


	7. The Slap Heard 'Round The World

The Slap heard Around the World

---

_You made up your mind  
It was time it was over  
After we had come so far  
But I think there's enough  
Pieces of forgiveness  
Somewhere in my broken heart._

_I would not have chosen  
The road you have taken  
It has left us miles apart  
But I think I can still  
Find the will to keep goin'  
Somewhere in my broken heart_

_So fly  
Go ahead and fly  
Until you find out who you are  
And I  
I will keep my love unspoken  
Somewhere in my broken heart_

_I hope that in time  
You will find what you long for  
Love that's written in the stars  
And when you finally do  
I think you will see it's  
Somewhere in my broken heart_

_Girl, I …  
I will keep my love unspoken  
Somewhere in my broken heart_

_I hope that in time  
You will find what you long for  
Love that's written in the stars  
And when you finally do  
I think you will see it's  
Somewhere in my broken  
Somewhere in my broken  
Somewhere in my broken heart._

– Billy Dean _"Somewhere In My Broken Heart"_

---

"I believe I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I?" Phoenix said as she sat down on a couch in Professor Dumbledore's office, surrounded by heroes and teachers alike.

"Ya think, Sugah?" Rogue said bluntly, ignoring Gambit nudging her to calm down, " Ya DIED, Jeanie, ya was dead as a door knob, and we saw Harry go down to that killin' curse thingy, and low and behold here ya both come walkin' in fit as a fiddle and fine as ya please! It gives me a splittin' headache, Ah'm tellin' ya."

"Shouldn't Harry be here to hear this?" Cyclops asked, looking around the room, "And where's Hermione … oh …"

"Caught on faster than a tomcat walkin' into a dog pound, didn't ya, Sugah?" Rogue mumbled teasingly.

"Anyway," Prof. Xavier cut off the banter, "I believe you were going to explain why you and Harry returned from the literal dead, Jean?"

"It all began seventeen years ago…" the Phoenix said, her voice shifting to purely Jean Grey's as she took Cyclops' hand. "When Tom Riddle attacked the Potters, Lily used a shielding charm that she was studying; one that she thought would be strong enough to stop the killing curse. She was only partly right. The spell rebounded on the curse, and the Riddle's power from it split three ways among the three people involved: Darkness, Light, and a neutral control. All three powers entered the souls of those inside the room. Riddle took the negative power, and Lily took the positive. But the power was too great for their mortal bodies to hold, thus they became spirits: Dark Lord Voldemort, and the Phoenix, guardian of the light."

"And the neutral control?" Dumbledore asked knowingly, "Harry I assume?"

"You assume correctly, Professor," the Phoenix said in Lily's voice, "If Voldemort was to take Harry's life and thus the central power, he would have full control of his power."

"But Voldemort did kill Harry," Cyclops added rubbing his face, "Wouldn't he be all powerful?"

"When I returned Harry's life to his body, it separated some of Harry's old power from Voldemort back into him," Phoenix said, returning to Jean's voice, "Voldemort is stronger, but we stopped him from being 'all powerful'.

"Not much," Gambit spoke up, "But Gambit tinks we should take what we can get, no?"

"Gambit is right," Professor Xavier said, rolling forward. "Harry's return has strengthened the resolve of those wizards and witches present, and also of the X-Men. And more Heroes are gathering even now. We stand a good chance of winning this."

"Indeed," Dumbledore nodded, "We shall gather everyone together during dinner tonight to inform them of the matters of the state at the school and the war. Any complaints?"

"None that I'm aware of, Professor," Prof. McGonagall spoke up, standing to her feet, "I shall inform the Heads of Houses and Prefects to tell the Houses of the event tonight."

---

Elsewhere in Great Britain, blood dripped down the stairs of an old abandoned house once used as a Death Eater staging base. "Too easy," Wolverine grumbled, lighting his cigar and glancing down at the blood soaked cloaked bodies. "You'd think Tommy boy would have better help."

"Hmm … I smell a rat …" Wolverine grinned, as he heard a pop down stairs.

"W-What's happened here?" Wormtail whimpered seeing the clawed, dead bodies.

"Oh you know, Pete, they all decided to stupidly run right into my claws," Wolverine said, leaning against the railing of the stairs and smiling at the Death Eater.

"W-Wolverine?" Wormtail backpedaled. "What have you done?"

"Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, slaughtered some of your friends, hoping to maybe catch your boss on the pointy end of my claws sooner or later," Wolverine said, unsheathing his claws.

"As you can see, my Lord isn't here, so you can go away and n-not hurt me," Wormtail tried timidly.

"Oh, I don't think so," Wolverine glared at the chubby Death Eater. "I told Lil letting you be our secret keeper was a mistake."

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-you r-r-remember?" Wormtail turned deathly pale. "James, my old friend, it wasn't personal, I … uh … I didn't know at the time! I didn't know, he … he said he was a friend and only wanted to see the baby!"

"You won't worm out of it this time, Wormtail" Wolverine jumped down and grabbed Pettigrew by the collar and picked him up off his feet. "For what you did, I ought to gut you right here and now."

Wormtail whimpered, and let out an 'eep' when Wolverine dropped him to the ground, "But I'm going to let you go. I want you to tell Dog I'm coming. And hell's comin' with me." He then glanced down at Wormtail's silver hand. "Did Dog give you that?" Wolverine asked, and Wormtail nodded quickly and fearfully. "Ok, just so you know, what he gives…" he said, bringing his claws down on Wormtail's silver wrist, sending the silver hand tumbling to the floor. "I can take away."

Wormtail whimpered loudly and gripped his bleeding arm before disapparating. Logan brushed his hands together, and started out when he saw a copy of the Daily Prophet on the table beside the entrance. "What's this …" He said before his eyes widened, reading the headline: **HARRY POTTER, THE BOY WHO STILL LIVES**. "Well … I'll be damned …" Logan grinned, walking out the door whistling.

---

"I'm impressed," Jubilee said in the large central chamber of New Hogwarts. She was standing next to her boyfriend, gazing at the restored moving stairways.

"How so?" Ron asked, glancing at the Asian-American girl, then back to Spider-Man who was doing a small web swinging exercise in the large open space.

"Oh, I don't know …" Jubilee brought her forefinger up her lips in mock-confusion, "Just you've been around Spider-Man for the last hour and you haven't freaked once."

"Probably because of my charming personality?" Spidey said, swinging down to stand beside them, "I trust you enjoyed the show?"

"Nope, nothing charming about you, Web-head," Ron smirked at the red and blue clad hero.

"Many of the ladies might disagree with you there, Ronniekins." Spider-Man crossed his arms, looking at Ron with a tilted head.

"What's so charming about a hero who's named after and received his powers from a puny little bug?" Ron asked teasingly, "Woo, it's a big bad spidey-widey."

"Correction," Jubilee piped in, "A puny little bug that sends you running away screaming like a small child."

"Et tu, Jubilation?" Ron gasped, clinging to his chest in mock-shock.

The group broke into chuckles when a fourth voice added to the laughter, sending Spider-Man into sudden somberness. "Oh no, not him …"

"Hello, Spider, we thought we'd find you here." A sinister voice spoke from the shadows, causing Ron to let out a high-pitched eep.

Ron's eyes widened when a monster stepped out of the shadows, giving a large, fang-filled smile to the group. Its black skin looked somewhat like Spider-Man's costume, with a large, white spider-symbol on its front, and its large white eyes were similar to Spider-Man's eye coverings His face was smooth and round like Spider-Man's mask, only instead of a full face mask, he had a large mouth that went from ear to ear and was filled with jagged teeth.

"What the bloody hell …" Ron whimpered as Spider-Man jumped between the two teenagers and the black monstrosity.

"What the hell are you doing here, Brock?" Spider-Man asked in a fighting stance.

"Xavier called out to heroes, Spider-Man," the monster said, a long, slimy, phallic tongue flopping out of his mouth as he spoke, "We are a hero, are we not?"

"No, you're a schizophrenic freak, Venom!" Spider-Man shot.

"You wound us, Parker. Anyway … We have been told of whom we are to fight with," the monster known as Venom crossed his arms over his chest. "We shall enjoy dining on this Voldemort's flesh and grinding his bones into toothpicks for our use. But we are not here to save this god forsaken world; we are here to make sure you live, Parker. For your blood belongs on our hands, and our hands alone!"

The monster sniffed the air, "Is that pot pie? We love pot pie. See you later, Parker, We'll be watching you!" the monster walked casually past the group toward the Great Hall, causing screams by all the students he passed.

"Fighting a psycho with a psycho," Spider-Man groaned, "That's marvelous."

"What … was that thing?" Ron whimpered, watching Venom's path.

"You really don't want to know, Ron," Spider-Man shrugged, "Come on, time for supper!" he said, ending the conversation as quickly as possible.

---

Hermione's whole body stiffened before she collapsed on Harry's chest, breathing in pants. She rolled off him slightly, still clinging to him with a content smile on her face. "Ok … I feel a lot better now … thanks, love."

"Yeah, I missed that too," Harry whispered, kissing her forehead.

"I have to confess, that was my last test to see if you were really my Harry and not some trick or weird dream," Hermione sighed, snuggling against him.

"So did I pass?" Harry asked with a lopsided grin.

"Four times, not as high as our usual count," Hermione grinned, "But we've had a busy day. You passed."

"I'm just glad your back and won't be going out there again," Hermione said seriously, snuggling into his chest.

Harry started to reply when a loud 'BMMF' and the smell of sulfur filled the room.

"I am not looking," Kurt said in a loud voice, a blindfold over his eyes, "So you do not have to hex me or cause anymore abnormal growths, Hermie; I am just here to tell you dinner is ready and the Professors wish you to be there with everyone else." Kurt gulped, "That being said … Imouttaherebyebye!" And with another BMMF, the blue elf was gone.

"Guess its back to business, huh?" Harry asked as the two set up.

"Yeah, guess so," Hermione stretched her arms over her head and used her wand to gather her clothes to her.

The two finished dressing and making themselves presentable before leaving the Head Girl's room and making their way to the Great Hall.

---

Cho Chang stood in the shadows of the Great Hall as the students and multicolored heroes began piling into the large room. She looked down at her silver fingernails, which were a little longer than most people'd allow before trimming them, and a malevolent smile spread across her lips. The time was almost there. He'd hurt just as he hurt her. Soon. Very soon.

She walked out when she saw Harry and Hermione enter to sit by Ron, Jubilee, and Ginny. Harry blushed and gave small nods at the stares he was receiving. "Yes, the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." He said, earning chuckles from everyone, even the Slytherin table. "Maybe there's hope for those chaps after all." He said, turning to the head table where Professor Dumbledore was moving toward his podium.

"Good evening, Students, Teaching Staff, and Friends," Dumbledore said, glancing around the crowded room. "Students, I'm sure you've noticed the addition of a few … colorful characters to the school, and those who had seen the earlier battle you will have seen that they are in fact friends and allies. With their aid, I've little doubt the Shadow of the Death Eaters will at last fall, never to rise again."

"Those of you, who no longer wish to stay here, or find it unsafe, do not be ashamed to leave if it is your desire. None will hold it against you." Dumbledore stated, "Those who remain know that while this is a school, it is also the front line of a war that will shape history from this day forth. Around you and among you are the world's mightiest heroes, titans among mortals, your champions, who, with luck, Merlin, and God watching over us, shall stand victorious beside us."

Harry gave a nod to Cyclops and Jean, who were seated at the front table, before turning to Jubilee, "Yeah, it's going to be over soon, as soon as I can get a hold of Riddle." Harry said, not noticing Jubilee, Ron, and Ginny begin to pale. "I'm ready for round two with the dirty playing bloke, you better believe that."

"You selfish prat …" Harry heard a hiss right beside him, and barely turned toward Hermione before the palm hit his cheek with such force that he was knocked out of chair onto the floor.

Dumbledore's speech halted as all eyes fell on Harry, who was on the ground favoring a red cheek, and Hermione standing over him trembling in rage.

"What's wrong with you?" Hermione snapped, glaring at her boyfriend with more intensity than Harry had ever seen. "Do you have a bloody death wish?"

Harry stared at her and tried to come up with a well thought-out response, but the best he could come up with as he pulled himself to his feet was: "What?"

"Here we go …" Ron sighed as he laid his head on the table, pushing his food away.

"You heard me, Harry, I asked what's your problem?" Hermione spat as all the frustration, hurt, and anger that had built over the previous year bubbled to the surface. "Do you want to just go out and commit suicide? Bloody hell, there's more efficient and less painful ways than this, but no you have to go out and be the sacrificial hero, don't you! DON'T YOU?"

"Hermione, I don't plan to sacrifice anything," Harry tried to reason, but Hermione's released fury would not be contained.

"Then what do you plan to do then, Mage?" She asked, spitting out his X-Men call sign. "Were you holding back when you fought Voldemort this last time? Or did you just let him blast you with the Killing Curse, so you could become a ghost? Oh, yes! That's it isn't it? Your grand plan for winning: you would become a ghost and haunt him in his sleep, make him wet himself, and DROWN IN HIS OWN PISS!"

"Now you're just being silly, Hermione …" Harry said softly, still trying to calm her down, "Why don't we talk about this in our common room …"

"No we'll discuss this right here, and right now," She said, stomping her foot, working her fists at her sides, "God damn you, Harry, he KILLED you! You gave it your all, and he beat you, HE. KILLED. YOU."

"I wasn't ready, Hermione; I will be this time," Harry said, getting frustrated with her temper.

Professor McGonagall started to stand up, but Xavier held up his hand to stop her.

"Professor …" McGonagall started to complain, but Dumbledore spoke up.

"Now, Minerva," Dumbledore spoke up. "This has been building for sometime, since Harry became an X-Man I believe; this must be resolved, and I could think no better time."

"But in front of the students…"

"They must learn this isn't some game," Dumbledore spoke softly. "Harsh lesson, but a lesson nonetheless."

"Hermione, if you'd just listen …" Harry tried to speak up, "I have to fight, Voldemort's my responsibility."

"Why? Harry, why is he your personal responsibility? Because he put a scar on your head? Because the little game you two are playing is tied with one kill a piece?" Hermione snapped, "Why?"

"I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN STOP HIM," Harry snapped, his patience worn thin, "I know I'm the one to stop him."

"Well, get Ahab his spear!" Hermione threw up her arms, "He just has to take his whale!"

"The bloody hell are you on about now?" Harry asked angrily.

"If you'd read you'd know," Hermione hissed, "But in layman's terms, YOUR OBSESSED WITH VOLDEMORT! Look around you, Harry! Look! There's the Order and Dumbledore. And over there's the Avengers, The Fantastic Four, they've fought world destroyers before, so Tom Riddle should be a walk in the bloody, goddamn park! The Punisher's around here somewhere, he's killed twice as many people as Voldemort, and every single one of them were as psychotic as Voldemort. There are more heroes here than Voldemort can shake a wand at … EVEN CAPTAIN BLOODY FUCKING AMERICA! YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT ANYMORE, DAMN IT!"

"YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST SET BY AND LET THEM FIGHT AND DIE FOR A FIGHT I SHOULD BE FIGHTING?"

"I EXPECT YOU TO USE YOUR HEAD, AND THINK! HARRY, YOU'RE SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, **YOU****CAN'T WIN!**" Hermione screamed, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

Harry stared at her for several moments as the whole Great Hall basked in silence. "You know …" Harry started, pausing to take a hard swallow, "in all the years we've known each other … you've never once told me that …"

"I can't …" Hermione said softer, beginning to tremble. "I can't do this anymore, Harry, I just can't do it … I can't just sit here … pretend everything's perfectly fine … be the Head girl … loving girlfriend to Harry Potter … and watch him march off daily in his little black costume and pretend not to care … pretend not to worry if I'll never get to see him again … I can't … I can't do that anymore …"

"Hermione …" Harry said, reaching out for her, but she pulled away, "Nothing's going to happen to me."

"You said that to me once before, Harry," Hermione said looking up to stare him in the eye, "You left … and then the X-Men came back minus one member, and Storm told me you had fallen in battle … that you … I can't go through that again, Harry, I … it would kill me …" She then took a deep breath, "It's … it's up to you now, Harry, so what'll it be?"

"What?" Harry asked, feeling his blood chill, not wanting to accept what she meant.

"You can't have it all, Harry," Hermione whispered, staring at the floor, "I can't share you, I tried, but I don't think I can do it anymore; I can't live with you … living a double life. So … you have to choose, Harry." She said, looking up at him, "Will it be me or the 'good fight'?"

"Hermione … please …" Harry shook his head, stalling for time. "They need me … and I need you … don't do this …"

"You've made your choice then." She said, turning her back and walking toward the exit. "You're right, Harry, they do need you, they need their 'Boy Who Lived'." Hermione said, stopping at the door to look back at Harry longingly, "For what its worth I'd have made the same choice probably … and a part … a part of m-me's proud of you for it. Goodbye, Harry."

The sound of the door closing echoed through the Great Hall, the tomb-like silence deafening.

"Mate?" Ron asked, as most of Gryffindor Table watched the statue of a teenager worriedly.

The only sound was a few muffled complaints from Mary Jane as Spider-Man held her back. "Let them work it out themselves; remember what happened when people tried to interfere when we went through those snitches." The webhead whispered into the redhead's ear, as she fought his grasp.

"Harry?" Jean asked approaching the near catatonic Harry.

"I'm … not feeling so well …" Harry whispered, moving almost robotically toward the exit. "I believe I'll retire to the dormitory … get some rest you know …"

The whole room watched him go before Dumbledore cleared his throat and encouraged the hall to begin their meal, though few were hungry after the reality shattering event they just witnessed.

"Well … that was unexpected …" Neville spoke up trying to stir conversation.

"Says you," Ron said picking at his food, "I've seen that coming months ago." He said, looking up as Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Kitty, Draco and Luna gathered around them at their table. Ron just gave a small shaky smile, "Just hope our plan for this possible event works."

To Be Continued …


	8. Eye for an Eye

**Chapter 6: Eye for an Eye **

A few weeks passed quickly and slowly depending on who you were at New Hogwarts. Ron Weasley walked up the stairs to where he knew he'd find his best friend. With no surprise, he found Harry Potter in a T-shirt and jeans in the X-Jet hanger tweaking on his motorcycle. "You missed class, you know?" Ron said as he handed Harry the wrench he was reaching for.

"I know," Harry said, cursing as he tightened the bolt back. "Get my work?"

"Professor McGonagall wouldn't give it to me, said you should get it yourself," Ron said, squatting down beside him. "Mind telling me why you keep loosening and tightening the same bolt?"

"Just needed something to work on," Harry said, starting to loosen the bolt again, but stopped himself, "You know, keep busy."

"Hermione missed too," Ron said, noting Harry's body stiffened for a moment. "Lavender and Parvati said she'd been waking up ill lately. They guess it's some kind of bug, maybe nerves."

"Too bad for her," Harry said simply, wiping the gas tank of the Firebolt II with a rag.

"You need to talk to her, Harry," Ron said in frustration. "This is mental, even from my standards!"

"Why should I?" Harry asked standing up, cleaning his glasses on his shirt, "Unless I missed my guess, she dumped me."

"BLOODY MERLIN! IS THIS PUNISHMENT FOR MY IMMATURE YEARS?" Ron called out, staring up at the ceiling.

"You two, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, are easily the biggest …STUPIDHEADS I have ever seen!" Ron stated, turning his attention back to Harry.

Harry stared at him for a moment before finally commenting. "Stupid heads?"

"I have an American girlfriend, Potter, get used to it," Ron snapped, "DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!"

"Harry, do you really know what went wrong with you two, what went wrong with us, the Trio?" Ron seethed, half tempted to kick the damned bike over. He just growled when Harry stared blankly, "There's nothing wrong with you being an X-Man; I think it's totally wicked. But Harry, you went off on your own merry bloody way. You became the big hero and we were the helpless mates who can't do jack shit and you must sacrifice yourself to protect. Just because you have damned powers and we don't doesn't mean we're HELPLESS, Harry!"

Harry started to speak up, but Ron beat him to it, "No, you talk later, I talk now. Look, Harry, you and Hermione had something I always wanted; you two clicked more than we ever did. THAT was what I always wanted out of me and Jubilee, what you and Hermione HAD. Let me ask you something Harry, after you and Mione had sex, when was the last time you just hung out together being a couple?"

"…"

"How about when you worked on homework or studied together without cuddling, kissing, making out the whole time?"

"…"

"How about the last time you two simply took a walk around the lake?"

"…"

"I'm not saying all the kissing, snogging, and shagging is bad," Ron said, flapping his arms out. "Bloody hell, when I shagged her back in sixth year it was mind blowing."

"Ron, actually you didn't," Harry noted, "That was Mystique."

"That was Hermione, not Evil Whore Smurf," Ron shook his head, turning faintly green, "As long as I think that, I will not be driven completely mental." Ron shook his head, "Look Harry, you two gave up the role of Best Friends for Lovers. Go after her, and give it another try. THIS TIME, don't go in there as sex starved teenagers, go in as best friends and let it flow that way. Use your stupid, worthless head and heart, Potter, not purely your crown jewels the whole bloody time."

"Fine, if she gives me the time of day, I'll talk to her about getting it sorted. Happy?" Harry sighed, throwing down the rag and reaching for his button up shirt and robes.

"Quite," Ron grinned.

"Ok, then ready to go to DADA class?" Harry asked pulling on his robe.

"Nah, gonna skip today," Ron shrugged, "Gonna meet Jubilation in her guest room and shag her senseless."

"What was all that about thinking with your head and your heart and not your crown jewels the whole time?" Harry smirked at his friend.

"Key word there, my brother," Ron said patting Harry's back. "Whole time. There's nothing wrong with thinking of pure unadulterated sex from time to time."

Hermione Granger sat at their … her table in the library of New Hogwarts, staring at the page of a book she wasn't entirely sure what it was about or what it was called. She'd spent all her free moments at the table, reading, thinking, sulking.

"Might be a good idea to turn the page, dear," a voice spoke behind her, causing the bushy haired teen to jump. "Sorry," the blonde headed blue eyed woman said, smiling down at the girl. She was dressed in a blue jump suit with the number '4' on her chest. "Do you mind if I sit down?" she asked, placing one hand on an empty seat beside Hermione and the other gripping a large book.

Hermione gave the woman a nod, and she sat down quietly for a moment. "You're Hermione Granger, aren't you?"

"Yup, that's her, Mrs. Richards," Mary Jane Watson said, walking into the room and pulling up a chair across from Hermione. "What's up, Mione?"

"Howdy there, Hermie-girl, care if I sat down with y'all?" Rogue said as she bounced into the library shortly behind Mary Jane.

"If you're trying for a set up, you girls need to work on your conspicuousness." Hermione said, not looking up from her book.

"Whatever made you think that, Hermione?" Luna Lovegood said as she walked around from a bookshelf and pulled up a chair at the head of the table.

"Let it go, Double L," Mary Jane sighed, before glancing at Hermione. "Would you at least hear us out?"

"Let's skip it; I already know every word you're going to say to me." Hermione said pointedly as she slammed her book closed, "I'm a selfish cow for putting Harold James on the spot like that. Close?"

"Partly, yes, but you must not jump to conclusions that this would be the only topic we would go to the trouble of surrounding you and evacuating the library and placing locking and silencing charms on all the doors and windows for, correct, dear friend?" Luna said with the same mystical voice she always had.

"We wanted to talk to the girl, Sugah, not scare her to death," Rogue said, trying to keep from chuckling.

"Even so, she'll listen now; she knows she's got no other options," Luna replied before her eyes flashed and she took a more serious expression, "Time is short enough and I must win my beloved Ronald back from the infidel."

"Ok, whatever," Mary Jane waved the strange girl's comment off before turning back to Hermione, "Now then …"

"I'm listening, so talk," Hermione crossed her arms and looked almost like she was pouting.

"Stop that, anyway, I know what you're going through," Mary Jane said, placing her hands on the table. "I was worried about Peter being Spider-Man for some time, and I even tried what you did. Yes, I agree, Harry's gotten obsessed with fighting Voldemort and needed to be taken down a peg, but good God, Hermione, don't you think that was a little overkill?"

"What do you mean you tried what I did?" Hermione asked softly, glancing up at the redhead.

"I tried to let go. I thought I couldn't be with Peter and worry about him going out to be Spider-Man, but …" Mary Jane glanced down at her hands resting in her lap. "I realized something … they're not two separate things, Hermione. Peter is Spider-Man. And Spider-Man is Peter. To take that away from him would be like taking off one of his arms … taking away a PART of him."

"You, Harry and Ronald have been the symbol of a team for the school since my first year at Hogwarts, Hermione," Luna spoke up in a surprisingly trembling voice, her large blue eyes swelling with tears, "What happened that day in the Great Hall … more than two hearts were broken, Hermione." Luna stood to her feet, slamming her fist on the table, and looked down so her blonde hair would hide her eyes. "When Ginny introduced you guys to me … on the Hogwarts Express … for the first time in my life, I felt like I had friends. I know you are hurting, Hermione. Also I know Harry is hurting. Ronald too has taken a hard blow from you … Ginny, Neville, some of the new friends we have met through Harry's new school … Me … we're all being torn apart by your … your … CHILDISHNESS!"

"Luna?" Hermione whispered in shock.

"I am not saying it is all your fault, Harry holds as great a deal of the blame as you," Luna whimpered between sniffles still staring at the ground. "But to let it sit and boil inside you both, pretending like a relationship spawned from a friendship seven years in the making was never made is stupidity … which is a word I never expected to use in context with the other two members of the Golden Trio."

"Luna … I …" Hermione fumbled for words.

"You and Harry had something special, something that you threw away for pleasures," Luna said, still not looking in Hermione's direction. "As wonderful as that was, you've forgotten what made your relationship special: the strong trust, the friendship. You once stood by Harry no matter his decision, even if it was foolish. You always stood by him. And Harry once treated you as a best friend and partner in life, but then began to view you as a lover he must protect from all harm. And you let him view you like that, and he let you lose faith in him."

"If you and Harry care about each other as much as your friends here say, you can patch this up," Sue Richards said with a faint smile. "Heaven knows it's a miracle Reed and I are still together after my screw ups …"

"I … I need … I need to think about this …" Hermione forced herself to swallow as her cheek paled as the words finally sunk in.

"Let her go, Luna," Mary Jane spoke up, and Luna pulled out her wand to deactivate the spells she used on the library. The four women watched Hermione dash out of the room.

"Do ya think it worked?" Rogue asked, watching after Hermione.

"Maybe," Mary Jane rubbed her chin. "That was some great emotion there, Double L." The Redhead patted Luna's shoulder.

"I try," Luna whimpered, rubbing her eyes.

Hermione sat quietly on a rock on the edge of the lake near New Hogwarts castle. She jumped slightly when she felt something brush up against her back. She glanced down as Crookshanks climbing up into her lap. "Crookshanks, do you recall me saying earlier this week how much an idiot Harry was?" Hermione asked the cat, who stared back at her knowingly. "Well, I don't reckon I have much room to talk …"

"So what should I do, Crookshanks?" Hermione asked as her lip trembled, "Should I go back to him, but … what if he gets hurt again? What if I lose him and don't get him back this time?" Crookshanks blinked before curling up into her lap. "If I don't go back, I lose him anyway … but … even if he does get hurt, I can at least have some time with him … right?"

"Asking advice from your cat now, Hermione," a voice spoke as Cho Chang approached from the behind a few large rocks. "Not a sign of good sanity, love."

"Cho, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked with a faint blush of embarrassment, not realizing any danger. Crookshanks on the other hand, jumped between Hermione and Cho baring his small yet sharp teeth and hissing loudly.

"Have you ever read the Bible, Hermione?" Cho asked, ignoring Hermione's question and the angry feline between them. "Who am I kidding? This is Hermione Granger, the living encyclopedia, of course you have; you've read every book and verse ever written by man, haven't you?"

Hermione tilted her head in confusion as Cho continued. "There's scripture in the Old Testament. It's kept me going since Cedric died … I'm sure you heard the saying that came from it … an eye for an eye?"

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Hermione," Cho said with a happy smile. "You've been in close proximity to your little boyfriend and his best friend, or any of the overstock of spandex wearing muscle heads populating the school. But now … it's just me and you …"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, starting to grow a bit nervous as she reached for her wand at her belt.

"Harry took away what meant the world to me, Hermione," Cho said, growing closer to the bushy haired teen. "Now I'm going to take away what means the world to Harry. I hope you don't take this personally; this is about Harry, not you."

Hermione reached for her wand, but gasped when Cho grabbed her hand pressing two fingers into her palm. "So you are a lefty, huh?" Cho asked, looking down at Hermione's wand hand.

"Wha?" Hermione started to ask before screaming in pain as two two-foot claws ripped through the flesh of her hand and down her bones.

Cho ripped the claws through Hermione's hand with a sickening sound, and spraying blood across the area, and onto the ginger cat.

Crookshanks hissed one more time, shaking his head before dashing toward the castle.

"Cho … what?" Hermione forced through the pain as she cradled her injured hand.

Cho smiled as her remaining fingers seemed to morph into long, metallic claws. "When Harry finds your mangled body, he'll be so broken … he'll finally understand what he's done to me." Cho grinned insanely at the horrified Hermione. "One more thing, Mione, Cho died with Cedric. Call me Deathstryke."

'Oh God, she's going to kill me …' Hermione thought as she backed away from the psychotic mutant. 'Harry … I'm going to die, and Harry will think I hated him …'

Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when all five claws from Cho's right hand impaled her left shoulder, and lifted her from the ground.

**Can you forgive me again?**

**I don't know what I said**

**But I didn't mean to hurt you**

Hermione tried to reach for her dropped wand, but cried out when Cho's claws made deep gashes in her right forearm. "Oh, no, you don't Hermione …" Cho laughed before back handing Hermione's chest, ripping her robes and shirt and leaving four long gashes across her chest.

"Harry …" Hermione whimpered before gasping as Cho once again slashed at her chest and shoulders.

"Is not coming to your rescue this time, Dearest Hermione," Cho laughed as she shoved her claws through both Hermione's forearms. "And it's your own fault," Cho whispered into her ear before roughly jerking her claws free.

**I heard the words come out**

**I felt like I would die**

**It hurt so much to hurt you**

**Then you look at me**

**You're not shouting anymore**

**You're silently broken**

"Despite what you think, Hermione, you really are a beautiful girl," Cho smiled down at the wounded girl. "Let's fix that." She said as she slowly dragged her razor blade-like claws across Hermione's face, making Hermione scream out in pain.

**I'd give anything now**

**To hear those words from you**

**Each time I say something I regret I cry "I don't want to lose you."**

**But somehow I know that you will never leave me, yeah.**

Hermione laid there on the ground, her own blood beginning to gather around her in a large puddle as Cho knelt over her. She never imaged it ending like this, nothing like this.

**'Cause you were made for me**

**Somehow I'll make you see**

**How happy you make me**

"I've waited so long for this, Hermione," Cho said as she sunk her claws into Hermione's lower belly, making Hermione grunt out a sob. "Go ahead, Dearest Hermione, cry, cry out for your precious Harry." Cho giggled before spitting into Hermione's clawed face.

**I can't live this life**

**Without you by my side**

**I need you to survive**

"Any last words, Dearest Hermione?" Cho asked as she positioned her claws over Hermione's neck. "Speak now or forever hold your peace." She said as Hermione's weak hand inched toward her wand laying beside her, unnoticed by the insane Ravenclaw student.

"Yes … I … have one … thing to say to you …" Hermione coughed, fighting to keep her focus on Cho.

"Oh, and what's that?" Cho asked, smiling.

"Come … closer …" Hermione whispered, and Cho did as asked. "Burn."

"What?" Cho asked in alarm as Hermione shoved her wand into Cho's chest.

Hermione took a deep breath and with the last of her strength called out: _"INCENDIO!"_

**So stay with me**

**You look in my eyes and I'm screaming inside that I'm sorry!**

Cho screamed in pain as her robes erupted in flames and stumbled away before falling into the lake and disappearing into the dark waters. Hermione held her wand where it was for a moment longer before her eyes began to lose focus.

She sighed loudly as her hand dropped limply into the large red puddle under her and her eyes stared blindly upward.

**And you forgive me again**

**You're my one true friend**

**And I never meant to hurt you**

Harry sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Where are you?" Harry asked as if Hermione could hear him. He had searched every class Hermione had and every studying spot she'd go to.

"Find her, mate?" Ron asked as he approached his best friend.

"She's not in the school," Harry said crossing his arms. "She could only be one other place."

"The lake," Ron and Harry said in unison.

"I was just about to …" Harry started to say, but was cut off when Crookshanks slashed his leg with his claw, mewling loudly.

"Hermione's really going to have to do something about that mental cat," Ron curled his lip in disgust at the flat-faced feline. "I swear the thing's psychotic."

"What's wrong, Crookshanks?" Harry asked, squatting down to pet the cat's head, and blinked in surprise when he felt something wet on the feline's head. "What have you …" Harry drifted off when he lifted his hand to see it coated in a red fluid. "Are you hurt, Crookshanks?" but the cat mewled loudly and turned and ran toward the lake, but stopped and looked back, making direct eye contact with Harry before turning and running again.

"What's wrong with that …" Ron started, but drifted off when Harry took off running after the cat.

"Shut it, Ron," Harry snapped, "Crookshanks is trying to tell us something," he said, hoping beyond all hope that it wasn't what he thought it was.

Ron ran after Harry but stopped frozen in his steps when he saw a form lying on the ground. "Merlin, no …" He whispered softly as he watched Harry go even faster toward the fallen young woman.

Harry didn't stop as he approached Hermione's fallen body. He simply dropped to his knees and slid up to her side, his hand touching her cheek and the other going to her bloodied hand.

"Hermione!" Harry yelped as his thumb brushed one of the open gashes across her gentle features as her lifeless eyes stared up past him. "Hermione, say something! Hermione! Hermione!" Harry screamed, "HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" He yelled as loud as he could as he glanced back to the pale, stunned Ron. "RON, GET HELP! NOW!" He said as he pressed his palm to the side of her blood-covered face, using his mutant power to pump all the strength he could into her frail body.

"Hermione, hang on, please," Harry whispered painfully, "Don't you dare leave me … don't you dare." He said as he picked her up, cradling her broken body in his arms. "Ron, clear the path, c'mon!" Harry yelled as the two young men dashed toward the castle.

Madam Pomfrey had just finished straightening the empty beds in the Hospital Wing of New Hogwarts castle. She had to admit that with Professor Xavier offering her the best of Muggle medical technology while Professor Dumbledore offered the best in healing potions and elixirs, she was in nurse heaven.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a blast of flame forced the door to the infirmary opened and Jean Grey and Ron Weasley dashed into the room with an entourage of students and heroes, all with horrified and some sick looks to their faces.

"What's the matter?" Madam Pomfrey asked as Harry quickly walked in, cradling Hermione in his arms, both covered in blood. "Ms. Granger? Mr. Potter?" She asked, standing there in stunned awe. The Heroic X-Man she had come to acknowledge as Harry Potter was gone, and she was once again looking at the frightened, timid boy that had exited the Hogwarts Express seven years ago.

"Help her …" Harry whispered, looking up at the nurse with tearful horrified eyes.

"Get her on the bed … NOW!" Pomfrey said loudly, snapping back to reality, and Harry quickly did as told. Madam Pomfrey quickly went to work, placing her ear to Hermione's mouth and looked down at her chest. "Bloody shit, she's not breathing," She cursed as Dumbledore and Xavier pushed through the crowd. "Have to do this the Muggle way," Madam Pomfrey said as she used her thumb and forefinger to clam Hermione's nose and breathed into Hermione's mouth.

She placed her fists over Hermione's heart and began pushing down into her chest, attempting to get her still heart to beat again. "What the hell is this? A Sunday matinee? GET OUT!" She screamed at the crowd, "You too, Potter, you don't need to see this."

"I'm not leaving her!" Harry shook his head, tears flowing from his emerald eyes. "I can't … I can't lose her again!"

"If I have a say in it, you won't. Now get out and let me do my job!" The head nurse said before giving Hermione another breath.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder as he and Dumbledore literally pulled Harry from the room.

Hours passed slowly as Harry sat outside the door of the Hospital Wing. On either side of him were his adopted parents, Jean and Scott, and beside them sat Ron, who was just as beside himself as Harry. Beside him, Ginny clung to her brother desperately as she sobbed quietly. On the other side of Scott sat Luna, who looked visibly ill as she clung to Professor Dumbledore's hand as if it was a lifeline. On one end of the hallway stood Ben "The Thing" Grimm and Draco Malfoy, and on the other stood Beast and Neville, all four acting as 'security guards' to keep those waiting from being disturbed.

"How are they?" Mary Jane as she came back from reporting to those awaiting in New Gryffindor Tower.

"Mr. Potter hasn't spoken a word, simply stared at the door, awaiting the moment for it to be opened," Dumbledore spoke to the American redhead. "Ms. Granger, we have heard nothing of. I hope it is as the saying goes … no news is good news."

"Hermione said it herself, there are enough heroes here to sink a battleship," Harry finally spoke up in a growl as he clinched his fists. "How could this have happened … how could _I _have let this happen?" Harry asked angrily as fresh tears formed in his eyes.

"You can't save everyone, Harry," Ron said emotionlessly as he continued to stare at the floor. "I reckoned you had that figured out by now …"

"That's twice … TWICE I've failed her …" Harry's voice cracked, "And I passed up every chance I had to tell her how much I …" Harry drifted off when the door opened and Madam Pomfrey slowly walked out, her face looked more aged and tired than it did when they arrived. "Hermione?" Harry asked, standing up.

"Mr. Potter, please sit back down," Madam Pomfrey spoke softly and sadly, which increased Harry's terror ten fold, let alone the fright in the others present.

Madam Pomfrey waited for Harry to do as told and gave a weak smile when she saw Jean and Scott gripping his hands comfortingly as he breathed rapidly, awaiting her news. "I fear I have some good news … as well as some bad."

"Good news first, please, Madam," Jean spoke for her adopted son.

"It was touch and go for a while …" Madam Pomfrey sighed before giving another weak smile. "But unless her condition changes in the next forty eight hours, she'll be back on her feet in a month and a complete recovery within the year."

"A-And the bad?" Harry whimpered, still feeling the pure fear in his heart.

"Who or whatever did this to her … appears to have stabbed her right through her uterus," Pomfrey spoke softer than Harry had ever heard the nurse. "This … caused her to miscarry her child and … I fear she may not be able to bear one again."

"What?" Harry paled as white as a ghost.

"I doubt even Ms. Granger was aware of her pregnancy, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey said, touching Harry's arm comfortingly. "Ms. Granger was … three weeks pregnant … the child … she was your child as well."

**To Be Continued … **

Song: "Forgive Me" by Evanescence


	9. XMen Reunited

**Chapter 7: X-Men Reunited **

"Ms. Granger was … three weeks pregnant … the child … she was your child as well."

The words echoed through Harry's mind hitting him like a hammer. "She … I was … we were going to have a daughter?"

"Harry …" Ron said as he and Mary Jane took a place on either side of him.

"Can I see her?" Harry asked, stepping away from his friends.

"I had assumed you would wish to," Madam Pomfrey nodded, "She should be coming to anytime now. If it's alright with her family, you may come in first." Beast gave a nod, "Very well then. Come along, Mr. Potter."

Harry nodded, and the nurse led him through the double door. She paused in front of Hermione's room.

"She looks worse than she is, Mr. Potter." Madam Pomfrey warned before opening the door for him. "The wounds will heal, and the scars will fade quickly. The important thing is you got her here in time, so she could heal."

Harry gulped and nodded before walking into the sterilized room. The sight made bile rise in his throat. Hermione was heavily bandaged; the deep cuts along her face were stitched back together, but slightly swollen. Harry numbly walked to the side of the bed and reached out to run his fingers over her bandaged hand, before gently taking it in his own. "H-Harry?" Hermione's weak voice spoke as her swollen eyes opened to look at him.

"Hiya, Stranger …" Harry smiled, thrilled she was even alive.

"Hiya back …" Hermione responded, trying to smile, but her swollen, scarred lips wouldn't allow it. "I must look a fright …"

"You're beautiful …" Harry gave a soft smile. "I'm sorry …"

"You're sorry?" Hermione coughed slightly. "I should be the one apologizing… I was the git selfish enough to try to make you be something you're not."

"You just didn't want me to get hurt," Harry smiled, stroking her bandaged cheek. "I should have known better … after that mess with Sinister and all …"

"It's who we are …" Hermione closed her eyes. "We're fighters, Harry. I tried to run away from that, and tried to drag you with me… all it did was hurt our relationship."

"I think we both buggered that up, love," Harry chuckled slightly. "I had forgotten the girl I was shagging and snogging was also my best friend." He said, taking her hand in his. "I'd like to try it again, if you'd let me … this time as both your boyfriend … and your best friend."

"I … I'd like that, Harry …" She replied, wincing when she tried to smile. "Ouch …"

"Who did this to you?" Harry asked, growing serious.

"Cho …" Hermione gulped, glancing worriedly at him. "Don't go after her alone, though … she's … she's like Logan, now … she has claws like him…"

"Don't worry, Hermione," Harry said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "Concentrate on healing … ok?" She gave a weak nod. "Good … and Hermione … I … I love you."

"What?" She squeaked, her eyes widening slightly.

"I was so scared … that if I told you that … I'd lose you," Harry closed his eyes. "I almost lost you anyway. So, I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not afraid to tell you and everybody else in the bleeding world that I am madly and completely in love with Hermione Granger."

"Good, because I'm not letting you go again, either," She said, trying to grin again, only to jump from the pain of her wounds. "I fucking hate this!" She slammed her head down into the pillow.

"Such language from the Head Girl … remember, you must be an example to the younger students." Harry grinned.

"Bite me." Hermione pouted.

"I would if you weren't doing such an admirable imitation of a mummy." He snickered, "Dear, Ms. Granger, I haven't the faintest where you've been, though," Harry winked.

"You better …" she glared, sulking down in her bed. "Now, go tell everyone I'm as ok as expected. Scoot!"

Harry walked out smiling, but as soon as he was out of Hermione's range of vision, the smile dropped.

"How is she?" Ron asked, jumping to his feet as the others came around him.

"She'll be ok once her wounds heal. I'm … not sure Madam Pomfrey told her about the baby yet. She didn't act like she knew … probably for the best right now." Harry said, glancing back to the closed door. "Ron, could you come with to the library? Hermione asked me to … look up some stuff for her."

"The Library?" Ron whined, but clamped his mouth shut at the glare Harry was giving. "Ok, why not? Nothing better to do, I reckon …"

The adults nodded. "I'll keep her company 'til you boys get back … from the research." Mary Jane smiled knowingly before going with Beast to visit the injured Head Girl.

Harry grabbed Ron's arm and quickly led him down the hall. "So, what are we really going to do, Harry."

"Cho's still close; she couldn't have gotten far." Harry said, walking toward the stairwell.

"Cho? Cho did that to her?" Ron's eyes widened. "She did that to Hermione, smartest witch in the school, personally trained to fight by WOLVERINE, and you want to go after her by yourself?"

"No, you're coming with me." Harry said, not even glancing his way.

"I dunno about this Harry …" Ron gulped, and Harry stopped so suddenly that Ron ran right into his back.

"If you can look me in the eye," Harry said, staring at Ron, green eyes to blue, "And tell me that you don't love her, love like you know I feel, and that you're willing to let that monster get away with hurting her, then you can go back and wait. I know you can't do that, Ron; I know she means as much to you as she does to me … as much as Jubilee means to you."

"Damn it, Harry …" Ron rolled his eyes. "Can't you just be wrong once, just once?"

**(X)**

"Find anything?" Harry asked as they continued patrolling around the lake.

"Hey, you and Hermione are the experts of this place, not me!" Ron shot back as the two continued looking for any signs. "Only reason I came down here was…"

"I don't want to know, Ron," Harry cut him off.

"What?" Ron shrugged with a smirk. "Me and Neville caught many a fish on these banks."

"Yeah, right … wait, I think I got something." Harry said, coming to a stop.

"Looks like someone pulled themselves out of the water here," Ron said, looking at the large tracks in the sand change into small, feminine footprints. "And you are the weakest link, goodbye!"

Harry stopped and glanced at Ron for a hard moment. "What?" Ron blinked.

"Number one: That catchphrase has nothing to do with this situation," Harry said, holding up one finger and then another. "Two, when and if we ever go back to America, I refuse to let you watch anymore television."

"What? That cranky lady was cool," Ron shrugged. Harry rolled his eyes and started following the trail.

"Where'd ya think she went, Harry?" Ron asked as they continued trailing.

"Be quiet; do you hear that?" Harry said, glancing around and remembering Wolverine's field training exercises.

"Hear what?"

"There's nothing. Not a sound at all …" Harry said slowly, pulling his want from his belt.

"What are you doing out this way, Harry?" Cho said with an innocent smile as she stepped out from behind a tree.

"Hold it right there," Harry said as he and Ron drew a bead on her with their wands. "You're coming with us; we know what you did to Hermione."

"Found her body did you?" Cho's innocent smile turned darker … more sinister. "Now, you know how I felt. When you brought my Cedric's body back from wherever the hell you took him."

"Voldemort killed Cedric, not me, Cho," Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "And Hermione's going to be ok, no thanks to you."

"Oh, too bad," Cho grinned mischievously. "Guess that means after I eviscerate you two, I get to pay her another visit … it was fun making her scream."

"SHUT UP!" Ron bellowed as he bought into Cho's taunts and ran toward her, drawing his wand back. "Stu-" Ron started to cast, but ended up gasping as the Asian girl backhanded him hard enough to knock him clear off his feet.

"Don't let her get to you," Harry said, helping Ron back to his feet as Cho extended her claws.

"Hit her high?" Ron whispered, crouching down slightly with his wand raised.

"Hit her low …" Harry responded, "GO!" He held as he used his telekinesis to push himself into the air, while Ron shot a couple of Impact curses at Cho's legs while Harry fired a Stunner from the air.

The three moved around each other with Cho's claws shining in the evening air. "What's the matter, boys, afraid I might scratch you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes on Harry, before jumping toward him. At the last moment, Harry caught her in midair with his telekinesis.

"It's time for you to cool off," Harry shot before sending her face first into the lake.

She crawled out of the lake, the fire of hatred burning behind her eyes, claws shining in the sunlight. "You're always crying about not knowing your parents, Potter." Cho growled, jumping at Harry again, this time knocking him down. "Well, I'll be glad to send you to your mummy and daddy, and then I'll send your friends and your bitch along to keep you company!"

"You know nothing," Harry spat, gripping Cho's wrists. "If my dad taught me anything, it's never give up in a fight, especially with a spoiled bitch like you." Harry narrowed his green eyes, "If I could just teach him to trust his friends a bit more, we'd all be one big happy family."

"What are you rambling about?" Cho asked, still struggling to slash him.

"Oh, just a nice little comment that leads to Ron tackling you off me." Harry said, and before the girl could respond, Ron did just that and wrestled her across the grass and sand.

Harry sat for a moment, catching his breath as Cho and Ron wrestled for dominance. Finally, Cho rolled on top, bringing her claw quickly down across his forehead, leaving a deep, lightning bolt scratch. "Always wanted to be like him, Ronnie," Cho said as the redhead yelled in pain and grasped his forehead. "There you go."

"Don't touch him again!" Harry growled, using his TK to boil the air around him, creating makeshift flames and hitting her dead in the chest, sending her flying backwards along the ground.

"You going to stop me, Potter?" Cho asked, climbing back to her feet and jumping back toward Ron for a killing blow. Suddenly, she went limp, having been hit from behind by a ruby-red blast of energy.

"Back off, Ms. Chang." Cyclops said, with his hand on his visor as he approached. "Or the gloves won't be the only things coming off."

"Your new daddy come to save you, little Potter," Cho laughed darkly, glancing back to the dark haired teen.

"Scott," another voice spoke walking up behind him. He turned to see Jean following behind, watching Harry and Cho carefully. "This isn't your fight. Let the boys have their battle."

"But…"

"Harry's an X-Man, and Ron is no stranger to this, either. Trust them," She said, turning to Harry, "Show her what it means to fight an X-Man, son." Jean said with a firm nod to Harry, who nodded back with a small smile.

"You used to be a witch, Cho," Harry said as he lifted his wand. "You depend too heavily on those claws of yours."

"That's silly, what's magic when you have these?" Cho laughed, lifting her clawed hands. "What are you going to do, Harry, stupefy me?"

"_Expecto Patronum!"_ Harry called out unexpectedly, sending his Patronus galloping toward his opponent.

Cho backpedaled away as Ron got to his hands and knees directly behind her. She never saw what she tripped over as she fell to the earth, scurrying to get back to her feet, but wasn't fast enough as Harry moved to her, decking her right in the face and sending her tumbling back to the ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ron asked as he kicked out, striking her in the chest with as much of his weight as he could put in.

She gasped for breath as Harry and Ron stood side by side before her poking their wands into either cheek. "_Stupefy!"_ They called out in unison, this time blasting her back to slide several feet along the ground.

"Well, that was fun …" Ron said, still holding his wounded forehead. "Bitch had it coming though, I reckon."

"You said it, mate," Harry said as he put his arm around Ron, and they walked toward his adopted parents. "Let's get that head looked at."

"Think I'll get a scar like yours out of this?" Ron asked, rubbing his bleeding forehead tenderly.

"Dunno, maybe." Harry shrugged.

"Hope so, chicks love the scar." Ron tried to smile, but grimaced at the movement of his face muscles.

"Behind you!" Cyclops bellowed, going for his visor.

Harry and Ron turned quickly to see Cho once again on her feet, but just standing there, mouth and eyes opened wide, as well as three long, triangular spikes piercing her stomach.

"Now, listen here, Darlin'," a familiar, scruffy voice spoke from behind the dark haired girl. "You see what this feels like? This is what it feels like to be stabbed in the back. Was that what you were gonna do to my little buddies here?"

"Wolverine!" Ron cheered as Logan jerked his claws from Cho's body.

"You wanna fight with claws, ya little bitch? You don't know a damned thing 'bout fightin' with claws. Look at me when I'm talkin' to you!" Wolverine growled, spinning Cho around to face him. "Now we got two choices: judgin' by ya claws, ya got healin' factor like me, so you can calm your little ass down and take whatever punishment ya get for doing whatever ya did to piss off Mage and his little, freckle-faced ass-kisser. Or, I can teach you what happens when you play with knifes."

"You don't have what it takes to stop me," Cho panted, before turning and leaping toward Harry again.

"That's the difference between me and that boy, Darlin'," Wolverine said as he slashed with his claw separating Cho's head from her body. "He's the hero; I'm the killer."

Harry and Ron stared at the disembodied head rolling across the ground, Harry merely shocked while Ron looked visibly ill. "You ok, runts?" Wolverine asked, sheathing his claws.

"I think … I lost too much blood from … my head wound …" Ron whimpered as he fainted in Harry's arms.

"Did you have to kill her?" Harry asked softly.

"Would you have liked to have your chest ripped out?" Wolverine asked, pulling out a cigar and biting off the tip. "Not a hard choice if you ask me, Bub."

**(X)**

The walk back to the castle was a quiet one, Harry and Wolverine dropped off Ron and Cho's body to the hospital wing before going to meet with Professors Xavier and Dumbledore about what had taken place.

"It was very foolish thing to do, going after her alone, Harry," Professor Dumbledore stated, pacing slightly, "Honorable, noble, but very foolish."

"Ah, leave the runt alone, Al, he was just defending his woman's honor," Logan said, patting him on the back. "Great to see you still kicking by the way, kid," he nodded, though his words and mannerisms were light, his eyes told a different story. His eyes danced in a way only Dumbledore had seen before. "Phoenix Force, huh? Bringing the dead back to life … Phoenix, that's real original, Jeanie. How ever did ya come up with that name?"

"It named itself actually," Jean said, looking at Wolverine knowingly. "It was created from a spell of a very courageous woman. Phoenix is a portion of her soul ... Harry's mother's soul."

Wolverine's reaction was instant. The color faded from his features as he dropped into a nearby chair. "Harry's mum, you say?" Wolverine said, his Canadian accent dropping into one of British for an instant. "That's real convenient with ya adoptin' the runt and all…"

"We can fill you in on that later if you like, Logan," Xavier said, changing the subject to one more comfortable for the feral mutant. "Where have you been?"

"After Harry went down, I found out a little bit 'bout how old Snake Boy's been stayin' alive all these years." Wolverine said, glancing toward Dumbledore with a cocked eyebrow. "He had these things called Horcruxes. Little things he broke his soul up into, so he'd always have an anchor here." Wolverine paused to take a drag off his cigar. "He had seven of 'um all together. That's how he survived that God-awful night when Harry was a year old … among other things."

"Had?" Harry asked, "If they were that important, should you have got everyone to go out looking for them?"

"Don't worry bout 'um," Wolverine waved it off. "I made sure to take care of 'um. All we gotta do now is take the freak down once and for all and we can roll the credits."

"I have heard of people dying destroying those, Mr. Logan …" Dumbledore said in mild awe. "How did you …"

"I don't die easy, Al," Wolverine smirked. "You should know that better than anybody."

"Of course …" Dumbledore started, before Mary Jane shot into the office.

"Harry, come quick!" she said in a panicky voice. "Hermione just … she just found out about what happened …"

Harry was out of the room before she could finish.

**(X)**

Harry ran into the hospital room and found Hermione clinging to Beast, sobbing uncontrollably. "Mione …" Harry whispered.

"I do believe my niece would find greater comfort in your arms than my furry limbs …" Beast said, reaching out to the young man.

Hermione seemed to instinctually reach out for Harry, and he fully enveloped her in his arms as she continued to cry. "Take care of her, son," Beast said, walking out and closing the door behind him.

"It's going to be ok, Hermione …" Harry whispered into her hair.

"Harry, I was carrying our baby … your baby … and now … I'll never …" She whimpered in-between sobs.

Harry quickly shushed her, rubbing her shoulders gently, using what limited psychic ability he had to softly send waves of comfort into her mind. "We'll get through this together, love; I'm here … we'll get through this …" he whispered again, before going into a tangent of gentle whispers of how great his love for her was.

In the darkened room, even if the lights were on, it was doubtful that they would have noticed the other presence in the room. The pale skinned girl turned her crimson eyes away from the scene sadly, before easing back into the shadows. Cho was lucky Wolverine got to her first. Sinistra would have not been as forgiving for hurting her sister.

**(X)**

A short distance away from London, a group was beginning to mass in a hidden cavern. Mutants, Dark Wizards and Witches, Giants, Vampires, Werewolves, and various other creatures gathered and prepared for war. The two leaders stepped on stage to address the army.

"My brothers!" Magneto spoke up, "Death Eaters and The Brotherhood of Mutants: Brothers of the Same Cause. We have, since our formation, been forced to submit to the humans' …the Muggles' dominance. But today, I say their day has past! The time of Mutant and Wizard dominance is at hand. Evolution has made its claim; we are next. We are higher. We are the Children of the Atom. We are the Children of Magic. Our first stop will be London, and with it, Great Britain will crumble and be our stepping stone to Europe and the Americas! We will spread our control to the far corners of the Earth! It is a sad truth, though, that some of you may not live to see this grand, new world come to be. Let us not fight for ourselves, but for a world where our children will not have to hide what they can do … or who they are. Let us rise and face our oppressors as a solid force, triumphant and invincible!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as Magneto stepped back to stand beside Lord Voldemort. "Tomorrow, my friend," Magneto smiled to his ally. "Tomorrow, we will march on the Muggle World, the World of Homo Sapiens…"

"And then," Voldemort hissed, his own fangy smile, "We will bring it crashing down."

**To Be Continued …**

**Next chapter: The Beginning of the End**


	10. The Last Stand pt 1 of 2

_**IN LOVING MEMORY OF STEVE "CAPTAIN AMERICA" ROGERS. REST IN PEACE, CAP, UNTIL THE JERKS BRING YOU BACK TO US!**_

**Chapter 8: The Last Stand pt 1 of 2**

_You feel like a candle in a hurricane_

_Just like a picture with a broken frame_

_Alone and helpless_

_Like you've lost your fight_

_But you'll be alright_

_Cause when push comes to shove_

_You taste what you're made of_

_You might bend, till you break_

_Cause its all you can take_

_On your knees you look up_

_Decide you've had enough_

_You get mad you get strong_

_Wipe your hands shake it off_

_Then you Stand_

_Then you Stand_

_Life's like a novel_

_With the end ripped out_

_The edge of a canyon_

_With only one way down_

_Take what you're given before it's gone_

_Start holding on, keep holding on_

_Cause when push comes to shove_

_You taste what you're made of_

_You might bend, till you break_

_Cause its all you can take_

_On your knees you look up_

_Decide you've had enough_

_You get mad you get strong_

_Wipe your hands shake it off_

_Then you Stand_

_Then you Stand_

_Every time you get up_

_And get back in the race_

_One more, small piece of you_

_Starts to fall into place_

_Yeah_

_Cause when push comes to shove_

_You taste what you're made of_

_You might bend, till you break_

_Cause its all you can take_

_On your knees you look up_

_Decide you've had enough_

_You get mad you get strong_

_Wipe your hands shake it off_

_Then you Stand_

_Then you Stand_

-"Stand" by Rascal Flatts

The halls were quiet inside New Hogwarts this late evening. Logan sighed as he walked through them silently, using mostly his advanced senses to guide him. It had changed since the rebuild, bigger, more modern, but the spirit, the feel of the Hogwarts he remembered still remained. It reminded him that this was one of the few places he'd ever called home.

"Out after hours, Mr. Potter?" Wolverine turned quickly to see Albus Dumbledore looking down his nose at him with a quirky smirk.

"You know me, Al," Logan smirked, pulling out a cigar and lighting it. "Rules are made to be broken."

"I've had you figured out from the beginning, James," Dumbledore said, pulling the cigar from Logan's hand and taking a puff of it himself. "You want everyone to believe you are an invincible warrior, unstoppable and uncontrollable, and in a sense, that is correct. But all warriors require one thing to be as such: someone to fight for."

Logan was silent for a moment before pulling out a second cigar and lighting it. "Lily…"

"Lily," Dumbledore repeated sadly. "Once Voldemort is defeated, she will finally be able to rest."

"I screwed up a lot with her, Al," Logan said, taking a long puff. "I'm not going to screw this one up."

"You torture yourself for no reason, my friend," Dumbledore smiled. "In her eyes, you were perfection from the beginning to the very end. And if you were to ask the Phoenix now, I'm sure you will get the same response."

"Maybe, books and cleverness didn't really help her, and my stubborn 'never say die' crap didn't help either…" Logan mused. "How the hell are we going to get out of this alive again?"

"The same way your son and his friends have for the last few years, same way you have for so many, many years, my friend," Dumbledore said, blowing a smoke circle. "Pure will to live."

---

Harry left the hospital wing to stand beside the panoramic window to watch the sunrise. "How's she doing?" a familiar voice spoke from his left and he turned to see Jean and Scott approaching.

"She's resting well," Harry said, glancing back to the rising sun. "She had a good cry earlier, but she's doing a bit better now, considering."

"Yeah …" Jean sighed as she and Scott joined him on either side.

"So, you two get reacquainted? I noticed your room was locked…" Harry noted with a smirk; the flush on both their faces answered his question. "I'm glad your back, mum." Harry said, putting his arm around Jean and then Scott.

"I've put in a call to Moira McTaggert," Scott said, changing the subject fast. "She's doing some research on any new-age ways of helping repair the damage. If anyone can help, it's her."

"I'm just happy she's alive; that was way too close." Harry noted.

"Then you and Hermione should have a strong understanding," Scott looked up at the sun. "While you were … gone, she was a mess. We all were, but she took it the hardest."

"I don't plan on doing that again if I can help it." Harry stated before a familiar POOF sounded behind them. "What's up, Kurt?" Harry asked as the three turned to see Nightcrawler looking panicky.

"Professor Dumbledore and Xavier need you in the headmaster's chambers NOW," Kurt said before grabbing all three and teleporting out.

---

"I hate it when you do that without warning me." Harry breathed as he looked around at the gathered heroes and professors. "What's wrong?"

"Something has happened in London … and that's putting it lightly." Captain America stated.

"Like saying Cap likes the American Flag," Iron Man noted, earning a dry glare from Cap.

Xavier nodded toward a large monitor before turning on the TV. The sight caused Scott, Jean, and Harry to gasp. Flames danced and smoke bellowed from Downtown London. High above the city, the Dark Mark shone brightly. "And we're standing here watching this why?" Scott asked.

"Gather the troops; we're leaving in twenty minutes." Dumbledore stated, and the group began to file out, but Dumbledore and Xavier called for Harry to wait a moment.

"Harry, we're putting you in command of the front line," Xavier said bluntly. "You're the one who has to find Riddle and stop him. You're the only one who can."

"Me? I tried that once already…" Harry said worriedly.

"He has marked you his equal. You have power he knows not. You can defeat him." Dumbledore stated, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "And you won't face him alone. We all will be fighting by your side."

"I'll do what I can …" Harry gulped.

"That is all we ask. Now, go and prepare for what will hopefully be your last meeting with that madman." Xavier said with a smile.

---

Harry sighed as he pulled his X-Men uniform from his closet and laid it out on his bed. His mouth was dry, and his hands were shaking as he slowly pulled on the uniform shirt and padded slacks. He slid into the jacket and carefully zipped it up before going to his knees to lace up his boots. He inspected himself in the mirror and adjusted his hair and collar slightly.

"I may need you to help me lace my boots, Harry," Hermione said as she limped in on a crutch.

"Excuse me?" Harry turned quickly to see his wounded girlfriend open the closet.

"We're leaving in less then fifteen minutes, and I need to get ready." Hermione clarified. "Honestly."

"You're not serious, Mione. You're still on the injured list. It'd be best if you sat this one out." Harry said as carefully as he could, which wasn't enough, as Hermione whirled around so fast that she almost lost balance.

"Excuse ME?" Hermione narrowed her chocolate eyes dangerously.

"Hermione, you can barely walk. How can you expect me to let you limp into a war zone?" Harry asked and realized his mistake as soon as he said it.

"I'm sorry, I must be mistaken. I thought you said you'd _LET _me?" Hermione growled dangerously.

"H-Hermione …" Harry stammered.

"Harold James Potter …" Hermione limped toward him, her eyes flashing. "You listen to me and you listen well," she growled, jabbing her finger into his padded chest. "When you went to find the Sorcerer's Stone, did I stay away and let you do it by yourself? While trying to find out about the attacks in Second Year, did I hide away like we were told? Did I let you go off and get yourself killed trying to save Sirius in Third Year? Even when everyone including MYSELF had doubts about you in fourth year, I didn't leave you and I'm not leaving you now."

"You had doubts about me with the Goblet of Fire?" Harry asked, taken back. Hermione just cocked an eyebrow. "Right, hero complex."

"I am NOT going to sit here and wait for word of you dying on me again." Hermione pressed on.

"Ok, Ok, I surrender, but you stay with Dumbledore and Xavier." Harry said, placing his hands on her shoulders gently. "You have to stay safe."

"Same to you." Hermione smiled before moving in to kiss his lips gently.

"I wish I had a camera because this is a definite Kodak moment." Hermione and Harry turned to see Ron and Jubilee at the door, grinning at them.

"You guys ready for this?" Harry asked as the couple walked into the room.

"If you try to talk me out of it, I will punch you in the mouth, Mate." Ron stated, putting an arm around his American girlfriend. "I can relate to Hermione, only I now have three people I love going into this fight. I'd be nutters not to be there by your sides."

"I say, when this is over, we all go to Vegas for a weekend, have some real fun!" Jubilee stated, popping a few fireworks in her hands.

"Sounds like a plan." Hermione said.

"Then let's go kick some butt, so we can get to celebrating!" Ron said, planting his arms around Harry and Hermione's shoulders.

---

Explosions and screams echoed through downtown London as Magneto levitated on a platform with Voldemort. UN reinforcements ran toward them, firing machine guns.

"Would you deal with the Muggles?" Voldemort asked, ignoring the approaching troopers.

Magneto turned dull eyes toward the group and held up his hands, pulling the machine guns from the soldiers' hands. "You humans and your guns…" he sighed as he caused the guns to open fire on their owners.

"We got company, Boss!" Blob called and pointed as the SHIELD Helicarrier hovered a safe distance away.

"Potter …" Voldemort growled as the Order of the Phoenix, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the entourage of heroes approached the army of Deatheaters and Brotherhood members.

The heroes stopped, and Harry nodded to his fellow X-Man and friend Nightcrawler to step forward between the heroes and the mutant and magical terrorists. "He who heard the sound of thy holy trumpet and took not warning, he hath clearly wandered too far from the word of God." Nightcrawler spoke clearly and loudly "And Tom Marvolo Riddle, your hour has come! It's time to get back on the path!"

"We're outnumbered …" Dumbledore said matter-of-factly from the back line.

"Then, tonight, we dine in hell." Hermione stated, earning a shocked look from Xavier and Dumbledore. "What? Graphic Novels count as books, too."

"Avengers!" Captain America held up his shield, "Heroes, ASSEMBLE AND ATTACK!!" He called, and with battle cries and roars, the army of heroes, wizards, and witches broke into a run toward the attacking army.

"X-Men, remember the plan!" Cyclops said, blasting a broom flying Death Eater out of the sky.

"Right, One Eye," Wolverine said, extending his claws as majority of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four made a line before the leaderships of the force. "This is the last stand."

The attacking force of the Avengers, the Wizards and Witches of the Order of the Phoenix, SHIELD soldiers, and other heroes split off to attack the army of demons, dark wizards, monsters, and mutants.

---

Harry dashed through the burning streets, dodging spells and attacks while returning curses and telekinesis attacks of his own.

"Hello, little X-Man!" Pyro grinned, flames dancing around his hands.

"Hey there, Hot Head," Harry replied, pointing his wand at the pyrokinetic mutant. "You ready to …"

"Incendio." A voice spoke from behind Pyro.

He glanced back right as the tanks of lighter fluid strapped to his back ignited, sending him rocketing through the air.

"Hermione, I thought I … You?" Harry started to chastise, only to take a defensive stance as the pale-skinned, dark-haired seductress Sinistra grinned at him.

"Hi, Harry," She grinned flirtily, her blood red eyes dancing mischievously.

"Ok, I don't have time for you …" Harry grunted, leveling his wand on the clone.

"Wha? Not even for a quickie, lover?" She asked, walking toward him with an exaggerated sway to her hips. "I can be like Hermione, you know? After all, I do have her goodie-goodie memories."

"I leave you alone for five minutes, and your already chasing girls in skintight costumes without me again," Ron said, approaching the two and casting a few spells at passing by Dark wizards and mutants.

"Can I burn her face off? It looks too much like Hermie's." Jubilee asked, her hands popping with energy as she followed behind her boyfriend.

"Look, I'm on your side; see, I just blasted the bad guy!" Sinistra held up her hands innocently.

"You're a backstabber; we know that already," Ron pointed out, and a slight hurt expression crossed the girl's crimson orbs.

"Honestly, this is a war zone boys. Do you really want to slap an extra hand away?" Sinistra chided, sounding way to much like Hermione for the boys' own sanity.

"Fine, you can help, but Ron and Jubilee will keep a close eye on you." Harry said, looking hard at the chalk-skinned clone.

"Roger that, fearless leader!" Jubilee saluted.

"Great, and my first course of business will be doing what I … Hermione wanted." She said, instantly making Harry nervous. But the girl instead turned her back to the three, her hand glowing bright yellowish-red before firing a burst of plasma through the crowd, clearing a trail through Voldemort's army. "GO! Voldemort's that way! Kick his arse, Harry!"

---

"It seems the groups are evenly matched." Xavier noted as Dumbledore, Hermione, and the rest of the teaching staff held off air assaults behind the X-Men's line.

"Charles!" a voice called from above, and the group looked up to see Magneto levitating toward them. "Why must you throw away your life so recklessly?"

"One could ask you that same question, Mr. Lehnsherr." Dumbledore said, standing between the two mutants.

"The much-debated Professor Dumbledore, I presume?" Magneto asked, landing before him.

"I am, sir. And you are the much-debated Magneto." Dumbledore added, holding up his wand.

"Al!" Wolverine growled out.

"Stand back," Dumbledore held up his hand to the X-Man and then turned to the equally angry Hermione. "I have put ruffians in their place many years as headmaster. Let me add another notch to my punishment staff."

"You speak bold words, but you are no better than a Homo Sapien," Magneto growled, "Depending on powers you do not understand or deserve!" He shot forward only to fly back from the burst of magic from Dumbledore's wand.

"You talk too much, sir." Dumbledore noted.

"You dare challenge Magneto, the Master of Magnetism?" Magneto raged, climbing back to his feet.

"Dear boy, I dared five minutes ago." Dumbledore replied, his eyes dancing along with the mischievous smile on his aged face.

"SHOVE HIS HELMET UP HIS ASS!" the call came from the X-Men's line.

"Scott!" came Storm's shocked shout.

"I believe this calls for a duel, Mr. Lehnsherr," Dumbledore said with a bow as he magically changed his wand into a staff. "That is unless you would like to be seen a coward before your allies and enemies both?"

"Very well, prepare to fall before your peers and enemies." Magneto replied, energy popping around him.

"We shall see." Dumbledore replied, deflecting jagged pieces of metal flying toward him, some sharp enough to make him the Nearly-Headless Headmaster had he not swished them aside. "When you are quite finished, Mr. Lehnsherr."

Then, much to the gathered group's surprise, Dumbledore leapt into the air, landing behind Magneto and slamming the end of his staff into the bend of Magneto's knee. "A true Wizard knows to not depend solely on magic. Remember this, Ms. Granger, and pass it on."

Magneto blocked the next blow with a piece of metal before sending a few small shards along Dumbledore's side, grazing cloth and skin.

The only sign that Dumbledore felt the slices was a slight gasp before he fired a pointe blank flare charm at Magneto's back, sparking the leader of the Brotherhood's cape.

Magneto leapt and threw his burning cape away, then with a cry of rage, he lifted a car into the air and tossed it right at Dumbledore, who ducked and rolled to dodge the attack. "You blame mankind for bigotry, but the only one displaying intolerance and racism here is you, my friend." Dumbledore said, firing a few stunners, which were dispelled in Magneto's quickly raised magnetic force-field.

No more words were spoken between the two for some time as spells and attacks were exchanged, leaving both aged warriors in torn clothing and bleeding bodies. "I give you this final offer," Dumbledore spoke up, blood trickling down his beard from his split lip. "Yield and you will live."

"I won't be finished here, Old Man," Magneto growled, panting heavily. "I will crush you, and then I will bring your precious Hogwarts down for a second time, this time with your precious students inside it, screaming before their lives are crushed from their bodies!"

Dumbledore's grip on his staff tightened to the point his knuckles were white. "So be it." Dumbledore growled, raising his staff before lowering it in defensive stance. "If you believe you can pass me, try."

With battle cries, the two fighters shot toward one another like jousting knights, Dumbledore popping with magical energy and Magneto with jagged metal flying around him. Their pass was too fast for the naked eye, and the two at opposite ends of their makeshift battlefield they came to a stop, both staring forward.

Then, they both in unison dropped to their knees and fell forward.

"Professor!" Hermione limped toward her fallen headmaster with the X-Men and Hogwarts professors behind her. She dropped to her knees at his side and gently rolled him to his back. "Professor!"

"I am alright." He said, grunting as he carefully pulled a single, jagged piece of metal from his side. "Though I imagine I have some bed rest ahead of me…"

"Is he dead?" Cyclops asked, glancing to the fallen Magneto.

Wolverine sniffed the air, "Nope, the lucky bastard, but I bet he'll be feeling that ass-kicking for a while."

Jean, who had yet to enter the combat, walked toward them. "Professor Xavier," She said in a British accent, obviously the Phoenix in control. "Harry is about to face Voldemort."

"Go back him up," Dumbledore coughed, "Ms. Granger and my staff will take well enough care of me, but Harry may need your support."

"Alright, X-Men, let's move out." Cyclops ordered before stopping, "Wait, where's Wolverine?"

---

Harry dashed across the battlefield, blasting Mutants and Wizards with spells and telekinesis bursts before motion in front of him brought him to a stop. "So, we meet again, Potter," hissed a familiar voice.

"Hello again, Tom," Harry said, standing proud and tall in his X-Men uniform.

"Do you enjoy being killed by me so much that you come back for seconds, Potter?" Voldemort hissed again, approaching the youth before hissing a spell to raise the ground they stood on. "Shall we move this to a more private arena?" he asked, sitting them on a nearby rooftop. "Let your friends, allies, and loved ones watch you die for a second time, Potter."

"I won't be the one who dies here, not this time," Harry said, brandishing his wand. "I have too much to live for; too much to fight for. What have you got, Riddle?"

"More than enough to crush you." Voldemort growled.

"Then," Harry said taking a combat stance. "Let's get it on."

**TO BE CONCLUDED…**


	11. The Last Stand pt 2 of 2

WARNING: This chapter contains character death and cursing.

E/N: The song is "Faith of the Heart" by Rod Stewart.

**CHAPTER 9: The Last Stand part 2 of 2**

"This is awful…" Hermione murmured with Dumbledore's head in her lap, her unbandaged eye traveling across the battlefield.

"Such is the price of war…" Xavier said, looking across the field where Harry and Voldemort stood off. "The area seems secure, and you have more than enough Aurors around to protect you two…" Xavier narrowed his eyes. "X-Men, since the beginning, we have always stood together." He said, lifting himself into the air through telekinesis. "This battle will be no different. Let's go."

He looked back over his shoulder at Hermione. "I'll make sure he comes back to you. Just stay with Professor Dumbledore." he said, and Hermione nodded in response.

Across the battlefield, Ron stood back to back with Sinistra and Captain America. "Steady, men," Cap called out, throwing his shield across the field and wiping out a group of Death Eaters.

"Ron!" Ron glanced up to see Jubilee blasting a cloaked Death Eater approaching him from the left. "You owe me one, baby," Jubilee winked with her sunglasses down on her nose.

"I'll pay you back with interest later, Luv," He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before firing a Stunner at an oncoming giant. "They keep coming!"

"Shit, Ron, Cap, LOOK OUT!" Jubilee called, but he and Cap were backhanded by the Blob and sent flying into the air, only to hit the unforgiving concrete a few seconds later. The stars in his eyes prevented him from seeing the Dark wizard taking aim until it was too late.

"Bloody…" he whimpered before the Killing Curse was cast. He closed his eyes tight awaiting his doom. Death didn't come though, and what relief he had was replaced by horror. All Ron could see was the yellow of Jubilee's jacket as her limp body fell to the side. "No… please, no… Jubilee!" He called out as he caught her.

He rolled her over into his arms to see her face. He quickly removed her sunglasses to look into her eyes. The tightness in his chest grew worse when he saw the unseeing stare and peaceful expression on his lover's face. "Jubilee, wake up, Jubilation!" He said, shaking her lifeless body. "No…" He said, pulling her body to him and resting his head on her shoulder. A strange, eerie calmness washed over the redheaded wizard as he slowly laid the girl down, and closed her eyes for her for the last time. "I love you." He whispered before slowly lowering his face to hers in a gentle kiss.

He then rose to his feet, wand in hand. "You…" he said, taking a step toward the tall wizard who cast the spell.

"What's the matter, runt?" the wizard asked, earning no reaction from Ron at all. "Mad you won't be getting anymore Mutie nookie?"

"This ends here, Brother," Ron said as Sabretooth pulled back his hood. Magic sparked all around Ron as his anger reached unthinkable height. "I'm going to butcher you like the beast you are." Ron said as small pieces of rubble rose from the ground around him.

"_Accio Creed's wand_!" Ron called out, and Sabretooth's wand flew from his hand into Ron's, who without missing a beat, snapped it in half.

"I should have killed you the second our mother popped you out…" Sabretooth snarled as he threw off his robe.

"You always sucked at magic, Creed. An ickle firstie could have blocked that." Ron said emotionlessly as Sabretooth leapt at him to pounce. Ron rolled to dodge the pounce and countered with a Stunner that just barely missed the mark.

"And you never could hit the broad side of a barn, baby brother!" Sabretooth laughed, slashing out at the teen, cutting through robes and flesh.

Ron gasped and gripped his injured side as blood oozed from his wound. "You want to know a secret, Creed?" Ron asked, his blue eyes daring his elder brother to challenge him. "Mum and Dad didn't love you just because you're a mutant," He stated, gripping his wand, "You were a psychotic piece of trash, and look at what you've grown into. Logan gets respect because he does things for the common good on occasion; you, you're the diet, the Lite, the poor man's Wolvie…"

"SHUT UP!" Sabretooth screamed, slashing wildly like an angered animal.

"Cap!" Ron called out, and Captain America, who had been standing back and watching the duel with interest, nodded and tossed him the discus-shaped shield.

"Heal from this," Ron growled, gripping the edge of the shield and swinging around with every ounce of strength in his young body. Sabretooth's roar as the edge of the shield cut across his neck and throat was cut short. The bloodied shield and shaggy haired head hit the ground first followed by Creed Weasley's headless body.

"Well done, son," Captain America took the shield and patted Ron's shoulder as he turned to where Jubilee laid.

"Sinistra?" Ron asked when he saw the leather-clad clone leaning over the girl's body, her hands glowing as they hovered over her chest.

The girl's crimson eyes looked up at Ron, "I… can't save her…" she whispered sadly.

"Why are you trying to save her?" Ron asked, going to his knees on the other side of Jubilee's body.

"You… I remember…" She said, looking straight at him. "You've been my best friend since I was eleven years old, you and Harry."

"Sinistra …" Ron said, taking Jubilee's cold hand. "Thank you …"

---

Harry groaned as he hit the ground from the impact of the curse Voldemort sent. It was obvious the Dark Lord was toying with him. "Where's your confidence now, Potter?"

Harry pulled himself to his feet and shook his head to clear it. "Are we done warming up yet?" he said, popping his neck.

Spell for spell, curse for curse, jinx for jinx, the two battled on.

"Can you feel it, Voldemort? The Horcruxes are all destroyed; Wolverine dealt with them himself," Harry stated, dodging a spell and firing one of his own. "You're as mortal as the rest of us, nothing but an old man scared of death…"

"Once you're defeated, I will be invincible," Voldemort hissed, narrowing his serpent-like eyes.

"So, you know of the prophecy, too, do you?" Harry said, "Then you also know I possess a power that you know not, right?"

"That is a foolish misinterpretation," Voldemort laughed, "You foolish boy, how can you possibly possess or even know of a power I do not? I AM the Dark Lord Voldemort!"

"There is a power you know nothing about, obviously," Harry said, standing tall and proud, picking up his slightly cracked sunglasses from the ground and putting them on. "A power far greater than any magic you possess, it's called teamwork. There's an important lesson you should have learned from your alliance with Magneto… X-MEN STAND TOGETHER!"

Voldemort tried to laugh, but his eyes widened when he realized he was having trouble focusing his mind. "Xavier…" Voldemort hissed, making eye contact with the professor.

"Here's a Southan' style knuckle sandwich on the house, Sugah!" he heard as Rogue came out of no where and slammed him across the jaw.

Voldemort flew backwards from the impact, only to have a series of glowing playing cards explode across his back like fireworks, sending him flying forward. "Full house always wins, mon ami." Gambit waved.

"This is for threatening my sweet niece, Thomas Riddle," Beast said as he met the Dark Lord in mid-air, moon kicking the free-flying Half-Blood into the air again.

"And this is for making my adopted son's life hell," Cyclops said, opening his visor to near lethal setting and blasting the wizard to the ground.

"And this is for all the shit you did to me, bitch," Wolverine growled, brandishing his claws and slashing across Voldemort's back.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Voldemort screamed, releasing a wave of magic that sent the X-Men to the ground, and Xavier tumbling backwards out of his wheelchair.

Across the battlefield, Hermione Granger furrowed her brow. "Sorry, Professor, but Harry needs me…" she whispered to the unconscious Dumbledore before limping toward the explosions.

At another part of the field, Ron Weasley stood to his feet and looked to where he knew Harry was fighting for his life. "Cap, Sinistra, don't let anything happen to Jubilation's body."

"Where are you going?" Captain America asked the teen.

"I made a promise that I'd be there till the end," Ron said with a firm strong expression on his features. "It's time I kept it."

"Scott," Cyclops heard the combination of American and British voices behind him and glanced up to see the Phoenix approaching. "It's time."

"Time for what?" Cyclops asked before he glanced up again to see Voldemort putting every ounce of rage and hate into the spell forming on the tip of his wand.

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry screamed wordlessly, firing a bolt of pure magic from the tip of his wand, slamming into the massive curse, the force of which sent everyone to their knees again. Harry and Voldemort put both hands on their wands as they began their battle of wills.

"Scott, catch me…" Jean's voice whispered as the Phoenix screamed and exploded from Jean's body, flying in the shape of a firebird toward Harry.

The Phoenix slammed into Harry, and he grunted from the impact. A moment later, a pair of flaming wings appeared on his back, outstretched as the beam of light from his beam his wand turned to intense golden flames. "One shall stand…" Harry growled out, gripping the wand, "One shall fall…"

The battle continued as waves and waves of green energy and flame erupted from the union. Harry gritted his teeth and struggled to keep his footing. If he was to slip, to fall, it would be over, not just for him, but everyone. That much energy would be enough to wipe out everyone in the London area.

'I can't… I can't do it…' Harry thought to himself as his knees began to buckle from the force. "I'm sorry…" he whispered out loud as his knees gave, but to his surprise, he didn't fall, nor did his hands drop down or lose their grip on his wand.

"Sorry for what, mate?" Ron asked as pressed one arm around Harry's waist while the other reached forward over Harry's hand on the wand.

"We're right here with you, Harry," Hermione said from the opposite side, holding Harry the same way.

"Hermione? Ron? What are you doing here?" Harry asked, staring forward at the also struggling Voldemort. "I'd rather go down alone than be responsible for you two, too …"

"You talk like we're going to lose this," Ron said, glaring forward at Voldemort.

"Do you honestly think he can stop us together?" Hermione smiled at her best friends before glaring back at their enemy for much of their young life.

"Together?" Harry asked, his grip on the wand loosening for a moment before gripping it again as the three put every ounce of magical energy, every bit of their friendship and love into the wand………………………...

**It's been a long road, getting from there to here.**

**It's been a long time, but my time is finally near.**

_"Are you really Harry Potter?" the eleven-year-old redhead asked the boy sitting beside him._

_"Yes," the dark-haired boy replied shyly._

_"Do you really have the… you know?" the redhead asked._

_Harry rolled his eyes and pulled back his bangs to show the lightning bolt scar._

_"Wicked." the redheaded boy said, awestruck.  
_

**And I can feel the change in the wind right now. Nothing's in my way.**

_Harry and Ron blinked in surprise when bushy-haired mousy girl burst into the compartment. "Have you seen a toad?"_

**And they're not gonna hold me down no more, no they're not gonna hold me down.**

The trio pushed with everything they had, Hermione and Ron willing their love and friendship into their best friend's. Hermione never even noticed the flicks of phoenix flames licking her skin, burning off her bandages and closing her wounds, nor the solid beam of flame going into her belly.

_Ronald… Hermione…_ Lily's voice sounded in Ron and Hermione's heads. _You are both a part of Harry, as Harry is a part of you. Stand by one another, continue to be one another's strength during the trials you face. As one you will be unstoppable… and the two of you… please watch after my sweet Harry…_

Voldemort screamed out as a burning phoenix, empowered by not only the immortal soul of Lily Evans-Potter, but the strength of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's friendship, erupted from the tip of Harry's wand as if a Patronus. It screeched in rage as it slammed through Voldemort's spell, burning through his robes and body leaving not even ashes.

**Cause I've got faith of the heart.  
I'm going where my heart will take me.  
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.**

Smoking slightly, the three friends, family in every way but blood, collapsed to the ground in a heap.

Cheering erupted as Death Eaters and Brotherhood members scattered.

"They did it," Kitty beamed as she and the others ran toward the heroes. "They turned the tide!"

**I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or break me.  
I can reach any star. I've got faith**

**I've got faith, faith of the heart.**

"Hey, Harry?" Ron grunted, his head resting on Harry's shoulder. "You dead?"

"No…" Harry wheezed. "you?"

"No… Hey, Hermione?"

"Yes, Ronald?" Hermione groaned sleepily from Harry's other shoulder.

"You dead?"

"Baka."

-----

"Scott! Jean! Wolvie! Professor! Over here!" Kitty and Kurt waved from their seats as the four elder X-Men approached, all in smart attire, even Wolverine in an unusual red and gold tie.

"Has the graduation started yet?" Scott whispered to the teenager.

"Nope, 'bout to though, Professor Dumbledore looks like he's about to stand up," Kitty motioned to the Headmaster.

"Where's Hank?" Jean asked, scanning the crowd.

"Beast and Hermie's parents are down that way somewhere; wait, there's big blue over there!" Kitty pointed down a few rows.

"If I could have your attention, please," Dumbledore said loudly at the podium. "I would like to say a few words before we get started…" He said clearing his throat. "Nitwit, Oddment, Blubber, Tweek."

**It's been a long night. Trying to find my way.**

"This has not been an easy few years for many of these students," Dumbledore stated, "Some more than others…" his twinkling eyes finding Harry in the Gryffindor row. "Before we hand out diplomas, making these young wizards and witches fully capable of using magic in any and all uses legal. I would like to make a formal announcement." Everyone looked confused at this, looking at each other as hushed questions filled the room. "I have determined it is time for me to step down and let the next generation take the head of this school. I will train this person for the job and continue to serve as Headmaster until such time I deem this person ready. Training will begin immediately after a short break from classes. It has been an honor… an honor to instruct and protect each of you…"

Dumbledore smiled at the questioning looks. "Oh, my senile mind, I didn't tell you who I had chosen… Ms. Hermione Granger, would you be my apprentice and become the next Headmistress of New Hogwarts?" he asked the gaping, goggle-eyed Hermione.

"Well, are you going to stand there, gaping at him, Granger? Say something!" Kitty stood up in the crowd and shouted.

"I-I… I'd be honored, sir…" Hermione stammered, still staring at him.

**Been through the darkness. Now I finally have my day.**

"What is the will of the Board of Directors?" Dumbledore glanced around the crowd.

"Professor Charles Xavier, I motion to accept her apprenticeship under Professor Albus Dumbledore." Xavier spoke up.

"I second," Professor Snape spoke up from behind Dumbledore, surprising many.

"Then I call a vote, all in favor," Dumbledore asked, and there was an resounding AYE from the gathered board of directors.

"Seems the Ayes have it," Dumbledore smiled. "Now then… as I call your name, please step forward and accept your diploma…"

**And I will see my dream come alive at last.**

Hermione was beaming as she took her diploma and shook Dumbledore's hand. "I'll do you proud, Professor, I promise!" She said excitedly, her chocolate eyes beaming.

"You already have, my dear," Dumbledore smiled.

**I will touch the sky.**

Draco had a confident smirk as he took his diploma, "I'd be careful with that confidence. I understand you'll be staying on to help with Mr. Potter's group." Dumbledore stated.

"I can handle him alright," Draco quirked an eyebrow as he took Dumbledore's hand before flexing his muscles to spread his four wings wide and proud for all to see. The Slytherin mutant whooped before taking to the air, swooping down on the unsuspecting Ginny, sweeping her off her feet. She squealed for a moment before he kissed her firmly on the lips, causing Molly and the other Weasleys to gasp.

"I'll kill him…" Ron growled as Harry slapped his forehead.

**And they're not gonna hold me down no more**

"Harry James Potter," Dumbledore called out, and Harry stepped forward gripping his mentor's hand in a handshake as he took his diploma. "Well done." Dumbledore said simply.

In the stands, Jean and Kitty were in tears while Scott tried to get something out of his eye with a tissue. "That a boy…" Wolverine whispered with a proud smile curling his lips.

**No they're not gonna change my mind.**

"Ronald Bilius Weasley" Dumbledore said loudly, and majority of the girls in the crowd erupted in cheers. Ron flushed slightly as he took the diploma. "Jubilee's cheering for you now, my boy," Dumbledore smiled.

"I know, sir," Ron smiled sadly.

As soon as his fingers touched the parchment, "THAT'S MY BABY!!" Molly exclaimed.

"MOM!" Ron screamed out, his face as red as his hair.

**Cause I've got faith of the heart.  
I'm going where my heart will take me.**

"Ladies and Gentleman, this year's graduating class!" Dumbledore exclaimed, and the hall erupted in a standing ovation.

The gathered students, now former students, tossed their caps into the air. Harry just barely turned when he was tackled by one hundred and ten pounds of pure excitement. "DIDYOUHEARHARRYIMGOINGTOBEHEADMISTRESSIMGOINGTOBEHEADMISTRESS!!" Hermione squealed in one breath.

"I heard," Harry said, touching her face with his fingertips, calming her instantly. Their lips touched barely a moment later.

"Excuse me, please do not attempt to suck out my niece's tongue in front of myself and her parents." Beast said as he and her parents approached.

"Sorry, Beast," Harry scratched his head nervously.

"Think nothing of it, lad," Hermione's father smiled, planting a hand on his shoulder. "Do you mind if we borrow your girlfriend for a little while? We promise to bring her back in one piece."

"See you in a few, love, I'm going to find mum and dad," Harry said, giving Hermione one more tight hug before wading into the crowd.

**I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.**

"Excuse me, Mr. Ronald Weasley?" a voice spoke up behind Ron, who was being congratulated by his family. Ron turned to see a tall, blond-headed man accompanied by a slightly shorter dark haired gentleman with a dark goatee, both in suits.

"Hello there, my name is Steve Rogers, and this is my friend Tony Stark; we would like to offer you a job if you're interested."

**I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or break me.**

"Do I know you?" Ron asked, blinking at the blond.

"We met on the battlefield," Rogers replied, holding out his hand. "We haven't met formally, but you borrowed my shield while fighting a time or two." Ron's jaw dropped as realization struck.

"C-Cap?" Ron gulped.

"That's me, but we're here to talk about you," Rogers said. "You have a lot of potential, young man. You have the makings of a fine Avenger, if you're interested…"

**I can reach any star.**

Ron looked to his mother and family who nodded in support. "I guess there's only one thing to say… Avengers Assemble." He said with a beaming smile.

**I've got faith, faith of the heart**

"Congratulations, Harry," Jean hugged the young man she had taken as her own, now under his real mother's blessing.

"Thanks," Harry hugged back before taking Scott's hand in a firm handshake, only to be pulled in a bear hug.

"Thanks dad," Harry patted his back awkwardly. "Air becoming an issue here…" he wheezed.

"Sorry…" Scott said, letting go and adjusting his glasses.

"Hey, runt, come with me for a second," Wolverine's deep voice growled out as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, and he noticed that the elder mutant was almost trembling.

"What's up, Logan?" Harry asked, noticing the seriousness on the feral mutant's features.

**I've known the wind so cold, and seen the darkest days.**

"I'm no good with this shit…" Wolverine said, looking up at the sunny sky projected on the Great Hall's ceiling.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with concern.

"I just want you to know…" Wolverine said, looking Harry in the eyes, and the teen was shocked to see tears forming. "Your real dad's… damned proud of you today, boy."

**But now the winds I feel are only winds of change.**

"Thanks, Dad, that means a lot…" Harry said, causing Wolverine to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Harry grinned. "I've known since I touched you with my powers the last time. I think we're even for you keeping it from me now," he beamed at his birth father.

"You little son of a…" Wolverine chuckled before father and son embraced for the first time.

"Aw… Kodak moment…" Wolverine and Harry broke apart and looked to see Ron, Hermione, Kitty, and Kurt smiling at the two.

"You want to say that again, Half-pint?" Wolverine asked Kitty, brandishing his claws.

"Aw, don't get mad, Wolvie, we all know you're a big, soft teddy bear." Kitty smiled before gaping as Wolverine started toward her. "Let's go, Kurt!" Kitty grabbed her best friend's wrist and made a break for it.

"C'mere, you!" Wolverine yelled in pursuit.

Harry and Hermione laughed before noticing Ron stepping outside and looking longingly over the courtyard of New Hogwarts. "You ok, Mate?" Harry asked, coming around on one side of his best friend as Hermione came around on the other, all three leaning on the railing.

"Just thinking…" Ron said with a sad smile, "I wish Jubilee was here…"

"I know…" Harry said, putting an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"She's with you," the group looked back to see Sinistra leaning against the doorway. "Keep her in your head and heart, and she'll never leave you; honestly, you're hopeless, Ron."

"Never pegged you for one who cares," Harry said with narrowed eyes.

"Who said I do? But Ron is a lot more fun when he's all goofy, not depressed like you, Captain Angst," Sinistra looked at her fingernails. "Honestly, I don't know what you see in Scar-Head, sis, well, besides the muscles and yummy looks."

"She's on our side, Harry, it's ok," Ron said with a smile, stopping Harry from reaching for his wand. "Thanks for all your help, Sinistra," Ron said in a tender voice.

"Yeah, well… um… it's ok, wish I could have done more, you know, but…" Sinistra stammered, flushing slightly before turning and walking away. "See you around!" She waved behind her.

**I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain.**

"It's still weird having a clone of me around…" Hermione hugged her arms.

"She's not so bad…" Ron said looking up. "So… now what? We saved the world, Harry, stopped your mortal enemy, what now?"

"Disneyland?" Harry joked, causing his friends to laugh.

"Why not?" Hermione smiled, "After that… I'll be studying under Professor Dumbledore to take over… he said he'd give me the details later. What about you guys?"

"Professor Xavier asked me to head up a Xavier Academy here on the school grounds. You know, for mutant wizards." Harry explained with a smile.

"Should have known no one could keep you two far apart," Ron laughed, "I'm gonna move to New York. I just signed up with the Avengers."

"Joining the Avengers? That's awesome!" Harry patted his best friend's back, "That's a high honor."

Hermione broke the joyous atmosphere with a small sniffle. "So, this is it, huh? We're going our own way in the real world? End of the road?"

**But I'll Be Fine**

"End of the road?" Harry asked standing up. "No, this is the beginning; it's like you guys said: together, nothing can stop us." Harry said, turning to face both his best friends. "Riddle couldn't tear us apart; the world outside school won't either. We're family, and that's something that even miles can't break."

Ron and Hermione both hugged Harry on either side as he lead them back into the Great Hall. "Now, let's go get some food from the refreshment table."

"Now you're talking my language, Potter," Ron beamed.

"That's my boys …" Hermione giggled happily.

**I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.  
I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or break me.  
I can reach any star. I've got faith.**

**I've got faith of the heart.  
I'm going where my heart will take me.  
I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or break me.  
I can reach any star. I've got faith; I've got faith, faith of the heart.**

**It's been a long road…**


	12. Epilogue

_To my dearest friend Albus,_

_I apologize for not writing you sooner, but the beginnings of my first terms as Headmistress has been quite stressful. I hope you are doing well and enjoying your well-earned retirement. _

_Things are going well for my first term in your shoes. Enrollment's up, and after the battle two years ago, at least in Magical Community, people are starting to see Mutants more as equals than monstrosities. A lot has happened since your retirement, Professor. Ron has really come out on his own, you see? He has moved to America, and Captain America and surprisingly my clone Sinistra, or Cynthia Granger as she prefers to be called, have help healed the wounds left in Jubilee's absence. He served the world as a member of the Avengers for a time, and has broken out as a solo hero and reserve Avenger. _

_Ginny and Draco are getting along as expected. Dating one week, broken up the next. Such examples for their students, these professors are. _

_Harry and I are doing well; our relationship has recovered and is stronger than ever. Harry shares my load, as he is the head of the Xavier Institute on campus here, and I listen to his troubles and thoughts when working with his adopted father and Professor Xavier upon building a local X-Men team here. Harry, Scott, and Professor Xavier all seem happy with the line-up for what the students here have come to call 'Harry Potter's X-Men' or 'the HPX team' for short. Harry, or, excuse me, Mage is team leader, Nightcrawler as his second, followed by Draco AKA Dark Angel, Shadowcat, Magik, Colossus, my "beastly" Uncle Hank, and my "sister" Cynthia make an excellent team in my eyes as well. _

_Harry is doing well personally as well. I'm quite delighted in the family he has gained. He has me, of course, and Scott and Jean have recently given birth to Lily Rachel Summers, a beautiful little redhead at six pounds eight ounces in American weight, whatever that is in our measurements scale. Harry has been bouncing off the walls at the concept of being a big brother to Lily. Also, he and his natural father Logan have developed a strong bond. I'd be bold enough to say for the first time since I've known him Harry's truly… happy. _

_You needn't worry about the school, Albus; yes, we've had a few threats since you've retired, some minor, others close to Tom Riddle's level. But in either case, whenever a threat to anyone, especially the student body of New Hogwarts, came about, the X-Men are there to defer it. I hope to hear from you soon, Albus, and that Harry and I are making you proud with our leadership. _

_Sincerely, _

_Professor Hermione Granger _

_Headmistress of New Hogwarts _


End file.
